


MoonChild

by Girl_in_blue_fic



Category: Trolls (2016), Trolls World Tour (2020), Trolls: The Beat Goes On (Cartoon)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-25
Updated: 2021-02-13
Packaged: 2021-03-08 02:47:38
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 22
Words: 99,086
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26648512
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Girl_in_blue_fic/pseuds/Girl_in_blue_fic
Summary: While helping King Peppy to clean his Pod, Branch finds a picture of Poppy's mom. He decides to dig into the queen's past and finds that Poppy may not know who she really is. The story shows Poppy's teen years, troll high school and the blooming relationship between our Broppy from the point where the World Tour left us.
Relationships: Branch & Queen Poppy (Trolls), Branch/Queen Poppy (Trolls)
Comments: 117
Kudos: 122





	1. Lily

King Peppy’s pod was a mess of hair, scrapbooks and old maps. Branch couldn’t believe the former pop leader had ended up being someone so disorganized. It gave him the chills just to walk in there for his daily duties.

Queen Poppy had kindly asked him to help her dad with his yearly cleanup. It had reached the point of the king almost being noticed as an accumulator and the weight of the pod was responsible for a new crack on the tree branch where it was hanging. The teal troll had noticed that it was just a matter of time – and some more hair deliveries – for it to come down in a terrible accident.

The heroic troll who led the infamous Escape from the Bergens and saved their civilization was nearly senile, Branch made a mental note. He was about three time his age so… about seventy five to eighty years old. He knew older and saner trolls around the village. Perhaps the stress of being King had deteriorated his health through the years.

“King Peppy this is the last hair trash I promise.” Branch tried to calm his future father-in-law when the old man started whimpering at the discarded green hair that he was planning on using… for something… someday. “Then we can move to the old scrapbooks and see if there’s any that is suitable for a library, what do you think?”

“My beloved scrapbooks? In the library exposed to everyone?” He was scandalized by the mere thought of it.

“Well,” Branch used the best psychology tricks he knew to convince the old king. “Your audacious adventures are all described there. And you are a great king. It’s only fair that your stories became public. You know… from stories to history. To be studied and all that.”

King Peppy’s chest puffed up with pride. He even smoothed down his mustache with his fingers, temporarily lost in self-praise thoughts. Branch took the minutes of distraction to open up some old boxes where he found pictures and even older maps. After the World Tour, he could only imagine the things the old King kept to himself to protect his dear daughter.

“Nothing from that box can be discarded.” The box was abruptly snatched from Branch’s hands and its contents went flying everywhere. “Oh… cupcakes.”

“It’s okay, I’ll get them. I wasn’t planning on discarding anything without your consent.” Branch offered a smile, making the king visibly relax.

“I’m sorry, my boy.” He also bent down, with great difficulty and cracking a few bones, to pick up one shiny ring that immediately got Branch’s attention. “These are very precious memories.”

“I can see that.” The teal troll was really curious about the jewel, but he figured it was probably from Poppy’s mom, which, as far as he knew, nobody in the village had personally known. “It’s a beautiful ring.” He complimented, testing the waters to see if the king would open up.

“It was in the family for ages.” The orange troll half smiled. He tried to slip it in his finger, but it didn’t even go halfway down. “I keep forgetting to show it to Poppy.” He gave it to Branch, so he could inspect the delicate object. It was engraved with a small coat of arms… he could barely identify the animals in there. Perhaps an eagle... and a wolf? On top was a beautiful pink stone.

“Is it a King’s ring?” Branch asked, admiring its beauty.

“Queen’s, actually.” King Peppy laughed. “My mother was the last one to wear it.”

Branch wondered why Poppy’s grandma wore it and her mother didn’t. If she was married to the King she was queen herself, wasn’t she?

With the wise understanding of an old man, King Peppy knew Branch had some wandering thoughts as the young troll grew silent, staring blankly at the ring. He reached inside the box, picking up an old photo album and flipping a few pages until he stopped at an old and faded portrait.

A lady troll was holding an egg with a wide smile. She was just like Poppy and Branch smiled. Finally he had met his girlfriend's mom. And she looked like a piece of work with a royal mantle over her shoulders and a crown full of jewels on her head. She looked more majestic than their king himself.

“Poppy looks exactly like her.” Branch smiled, giving the picture back so King Peppy could safely put it away. “Well,” He sighed, straightening his back. “I’ll get these scrapbooks to the library.”

“It is quite early to mention it…” King Peppy said just before Branch stepped out of his new clean and organized pod. “… but if you plan on proposing to my daughter, you can use that ring.”

“Uh!” The redness and heat rose to Branch’s cheeks.

“I advise you to take a long time to get there.” The orange troll’s expression darkened, his eyes were suddenly looking threatening and Branch gulped.

“I… I… thanks? Gotta go.” The poor teal troll quickly jumped out of the pod, using his hair to hold himself. He could swear he heard an evil chuckle right after safely landing on the ground outside.

***

“Here’s your healthy checkup exams, Queen Poppy.” Dr. Moonbloom said, stamping down her name and medical register on the last paper she read. Poppy smiled happily seeing that she was completely fine.

The doctor adjusted her eyeglasses and stood up from her chair, opening up a safe that was placed inside the hospital clinic's pod to add the queen’s exams to the file she had stored since she was born. A queen’s medical file was top secret and nobody aside from the village’s doctor had the authorization to get them.

“I feel obliged to inform you that you’re taking too long to go through the… gynecological routine.”

“Oh…” Poppy giggled to hide her embarrassment. “That’s sort of why I asked for the exams.”

“Right. Say no more.” Dr. Moonbloom sat down behind her desk again and fetched some boxes from a drawer. “Take one every day and in a month you should be safe.”

“Okay… a month.” Poppy nervously hid the box in her hair, looking at the door. She knew Dr. Moonbloom was one of her father’s best friends, being the few older trolls of their generation that weren't eaten by a Bergen. The queen hoped she wouldn’t let it slip during one of her afternoon tea with the king that his daughter was finally planning on having sexual intercourse. It would be very embarrassing… especially if she used her dramatic voice to announce it.

“After your situation is taken care of…” The doctor said, surprising the Queen just after she stood up to leave. “Return so I can have some… deep examinations done.”

That couldn’t have been more humiliating, Poppy flushed as she walked towards the cotton candy shop. There was no way she couldn't think that she had a 'situation', as was put so smoothly by the doctor. She needed some sugar to restore her bright humor.

“Queen Poppy!” Biggie was just getting his own cotton candy when she showed up. “What a lovely surprise to see you.”

“Hey, Biggie. Hello, Mr. Dinkles.” She petted the yellow worm who ‘meep-ed’ in return.

“We’re just getting a snack on our way to the library.” Biggie explained, waiting for Poppy to get a big white and fluffy amount of sugar for herself.

“Oh, did the new scrapbooks get delivered already?” She asked in excitement. Her dad had been hiding adventures and she was dying to read them. It was the best idea to ask Branch to help him clean his pod. King Peppy wouldn’t say no to the survivalist.

“I saw Branch walking in there with a pile of them not long ago.” Biggie cheered, seeing the queen’s eyes tinkle just to mention her boyfriend’s name. She got a bite of cotton candy and the combination of tastes and names made her rocket herself to a sweet daydream. “Oh dear… I’ve always known you’ve got it bad, but now it feels like you’ve got your prize from all of the years of waiting.”

“Oh, Biggie.” Poppy blushed. “It’s not like I knew my feelings.”

“But you never gave up on him.” Smidge joined the conversation, grinning from ear to ear at her queen’s lovesick eyes. “Do you remember that big gift you were carrying? It was how I helped you for the first time.”

“Yeah, what was it, anyway?” Biggie asked, realizing they never got to know much about Poppy’s attempts to get on Branch’s good side..

“A bed.” Poppy answered, looking down at her cotton candy. It had been several years ago and she was so desperate to be friends with that grumpy troll that she didn’t know how to make him see her. She had tried many scrapbooks, many invitations and all of them ended up stepped over or torn apart right in front of her. At least the bed got accepted. She had left it by the trapdoor and when she checked on it the next day it was gone. Several years later, when he finally accepted her inside his bunker, she was glad to see it in his room.

“Oh, so thoughtful.” Biggie said, hugging Mr. Dinkles close.

“Oh my Guh, I always thought that was an excessively huge present and it makes sense now.”

“Our queen is so persistent.” Satin walked into the conversation with her Siamese sister, Chenille grinning at her side. “If I got rejected that many times I’d totally date someone else.”

“And altruistic. I mean, she gave him love all those years without even expecting to be corresponded.” Biggie added more spice to the mix, making Poppy feel uncomfortable. She had never seen the attempts to befriend Branch as any of those things they were saying. She just… wanted to be part of his world, somehow.

“Do you think they are soulmates? That would be so romantic.” Chenille squealed, getting Guy Diamond’s attention to join the group. They all walked towards the library and Poppy felt like they weren’t walking fast enough.

“Guys…” Poppy called just before opening the library doors. Her friends stared at her with knowing grins. “I’d appreciate it if you didn’t talk like that in front of Branch.”

“Uh, too rebellious to talk about his feelings?” Guy said dramatically.

“We’re not... Ready to discuss it in public.” Poppy explained and her friends were visibly disappointed.

When they walked inside the library, a different atmosphere fell among the Snack Pack. They had been dying to tease Branch about his hidden feelings for the queen. The teal troll greeted them with a smile when they were spotted. He was above a ladder, organizing the books and scrapbooks from the top shelf to open up some space on the King Peppy’s adventures in the shelf below.

“Uh, look at all those new adventures!” Biggie immediately picked up a green covered scrapbook. “It’s that one about the Peril Patch!”

“I’ve always wondered how the King got so many adventures if we were imprisoned at the troll tree for decades!” Smidge asked, checking two different books.

“He always escaped to find help.” Guy explained.

“Hey.” Poppy left her friends with their new entertainment and walked towards her boyfriend, shyly holding her hands behind her back and with a short expectantly smile.

“Hello.” He smiled back, wondering if he should climb down to greet her. He avoided hugging her when there was an audience.

“Thank you for helping my dad.”

“My pleasure.” He smiled down at her and silence fell once again. He had a weighting awareness that the others were paying attention to their conversation, so he cleared his throat and returned to the books. Poppy awkwardly looked away and picked a scrapbook to flip until he was done with his work. It would take a while; after all, he had to read everything so he could rate them before opening up for everybody.

Trying to take the longer he could, Branch opened a book that was really dusty. It was on the history section and he had moved it to an almost unreachable height. He looked at the first page, not really concentrating in what he was supposed to be reading. His girlfriend sat on the floor, leaning against the bookshelves, engrossed in an adventure about wild cats.

He turned a page and briefly stared at it before turning another. A ring caught his eye and he returned to the previous page with a small curious frown. Six rings with similar coats of arms. All of them had eagles and each had a different animal and a different gemstone. All of them surrounded a bigger ring with a simple white stone in the middle of it.

Six Strings… six rings… it wasn’t difficult making that association, even because each ring had the same string color. He wondered what meant the white one in the middle. Was there another tribe? What was King Peppy hiding this time?

Branch quickly hid the book in his hair and went for another one he had previously looked at. He was hiding that one in a part of the library where kids couldn’t reach, but he changed his mind. The adventure on how the King met Poppy’s mother got hidden inside his hair as well so he could read it later, in the privacy of his bunker.

***

The colorful book couldn’t be more surprising. With the steaming hot coffee completely forgotten by his side, Branch turned the pages and the knowledge washed over him like an icy water bucket.

The story had started pretty enough, like it usually did. Pop trolls were incarcerated in the troll tree in Bergen Town, and the king was done watching his subjects being eaten day by day. The community had been reduced considerably and he was done hiding the children from the gloomy monsters.

King Peppy knew that the only way to save his people was to cross the deep forest, to fight unknown perils until he could reach the heart of Troll's Kingdom and beg for help to free everyone. He needed permission to get another place for Pop without invading other trolls' territory..

King Peppy had left Mags Gumdrop in charge until he returned. To Branch’s surprise, his own Grandma, Rosiepuff had been a great help while the King was away, cooking food for the hidden trolls inside the hollow tree trunk while taking care of her toddler grandson and even more surprisingly, he read that King Peppy had taken a troll with him; the head of pop trolls defenses: Pine. His dad. A honored general. Wow.

The story had become more entrancing as Branch read. His light bugs turned on one by one as the night fell. He checked his hug watch and saw that he still had three hug-times to go until it was time for his daily visit to the queen’s pod to go through the next day’s agenda. 

Turning his attention back to the scrapbook, he saw his dad was exactly how his primitive baby memories painted him. With teal skin, bright purple hair and nose and he wore a brown armor, matching King’s Peppy’s. It felt like he had just opened up a treasure chest. Branch finally could follow a real adventure of his dad, someone who - until that moment - felt like a stranger, like someone he used to know.

Both male trolls had difficulties in their journey, coming across fire bugs, hungry mountains and a very hot lava river that made Branch unconsciously map the path in his mind, presuming they had made it through Volcano Rock City until they would reach their destination. Also, they arrived at a yellow sand beach after another day walking until they stopped at a port. 

It came as a surprise, once again. A small dialogue indicated they had to wait for the night to fall until a boat came to take them to the Moon Island. His hug watch tinkled, he still had two hours to go. Branch resumed the former King's diary. 

_The night fell and the joyful humid air filled our lungs with a familiar happiness. I had only visited the Moon Island once to be introduced to Her Highness. I couldn’t see her, but the sound of her voice was so bewitching that I never forgot it._

_The boat came when Pine and I had finished dinner. I got worried about my usual sea sickness; a King had to look strong to his general, right? The boatman was the same from years ago. A small troll with a mustache and thick eyebrows. Funny fellow._

_“Are you sure you want to cross the sea without an invitation?” He asked, seeing that ring I wore on a chain weren't glowing, but I nodded. I had to risk it. My people depended on it. He allowed us inside and the boat was pushed off the shore, navigating with the stream that slowly transformed from liquid to vapor until we felt like we were sailing in clouds._

_“Nobody’s allowed to see Her Highness in years.” The boatman said, with his back turned. I exchanged a glance with Pine and he just sat down and crossed his arms, grumpily, like he used to when he was concentrating on my safety. “Not since she matured." Yes... There were tales about her beauty all over Troll’s Kingdom._

_Beautiful and deadly. I heard from Thrash that his brother had fallen for her and went to ask for her hand. He was the rightful leader of the Rock Trolls so he assumed his high position wouldn’t be an issue. But apparently she had given him a chance to conquer her heart: if he could decipher her name in a night, she’d be his, if he couldn't… well… I heard he never came back so Thrash became the new Rock leader._

_The waves broke in glittering foam and we safely anchored before getting out. The Moon Island was completely white living up to the name it was given. Pearls hung from glass trees and white grass formed a path that seemed carved by the stars._

_The castle where the forbidden Empress lived in was pure silver and marble. My breath was taken away like the first time I had stepped there. The Royal Guard dressed in white uniforms just moved their eyes as Pine and I crossed the faint rainbow bridge to walk into the Prime Minister’s office, right before the Royal Chambers' entrance._

_The old administrator she had called himself the Prime Minister and he was the one who arranged the meetings with the Empress. Actually, I heard he was the only one allowed to see her aside from her personal maid._

_“I wonder if she’s as beautiful as the tales.” I whispered to Pine. I wanted to sound funny and doubtful, but I noticed my voice only sounded like I truly was: in awe._

_“My King, I advise you to take matters as practical as they should be, if you pardon my forwardness. The longer we stay, more trolls will be eaten.” Pine said and I couldn’t agree more._

_The Prime Minister did listen to my tale with the heart. He wasn’t shocked, but he stood up from his enormous desk and walked out of the room to consult with the Empress. I was surprised and so was my loyal general._

_From behind his desk was a glass window that allowed us to see the throne room. Two Royal Guards were spotted and a white screen was unfolded, blocking the view completely._

_Just when I thought I wouldn’t get the chance to talk the Prime Minister returned to escort us to a hearing with Her Highness. The room was small and cozy, with fluffy white mats all over and two soft pillows in front of the screen where we were instructed to sit on._

_The sound of doors opening made my heart beat faster. Her perfume was the first indication that she had graced me with her presence. The air seemed lighter. I can’t exactly explain, but it seemed like she cleaned the heaviness in my soul, like she scanned my deepest fears of extinction and soothed exactly where it hurt, like a healing kiss in a scraped knee._

_“I hear you’re Peppy, the leader of Pop Trolls.” Her voice was like the sweetest music. I felt like my body was floating._

_“I am, your grace.” I said. Should I have called her grace? I was so insecure. She sounded so young._

_“And you’ve come to ask to move from the tree?” She continued and I hummed my agreement._

_“There are mostly children left, your grace.” I continued, sure that information would make her give full consent._

_“I cannot command the Bergens to stop hunting you, but I can allow you to move your people. The Pop Trolls have my permission to move to the forest.” Her voice was so angelic… I was hypnotized. “You are free to move around as long as you don't invade the other tribes' territory.”_

_I could see a faint shadow of pink behind the screen. I had never seen such bright color. She stood up and I saw how small and frail she seemed. If I was standing, too, she’d barely reach my shoulders. Right then I was sure I was in love with someone I didn't even see._

_Pine didn’t seem affected by her beauty as I was. Maybe because he had been in love before, maybe because he had a family or maybe because his love story had a tragic end. He did notice when I stopped acting like myself._

_“Your grace…” I was surprised when my voice failed. She was already halfway out of the room, but stopped and waited for me to say it. “... would you allow me to see you?”_

_“My King…” Pine motioned to stand up to stop me, but the Royal Guards took a step forward with their hands ready to draw their swords._

_“They call you King…” I could hear the smile on her lips. She sounded intrigued. “You leaders are surprisingly pretentious.”_

_“I beg your pardon, your grace.” I said, suddenly agreeing with her. “I never realized how insulting it sounded.” Her pink form turned. I heard her dress rustling and I could almost picture the light clothes she was wearing._

_“You sound sincere.” She said and I almost melted. “I’ll give you the same chance I give every suitor. If you figure my name before sunrise, I’ll be yours.”_

_I didn’t have to ask what would happen if I didn’t succeed. I knew I would figure her name out._

_Pine had a deep frown and the guards left us alone. We were allowed to walk around the Island and ask questions. I’ve never seen my general so angry, but I didn’t care. I was recklessly in love._

_The Empress retreated to her chambers and as soon as her soothing figure vanished I felt worried about the task I was given._

_“My friend....” Pine hissed at my side as we left the castle to walk around the gardens. I knew he was angry. He rarely called me like that unless we were drunk in a bar. “... we came here to save our friends and family and now we might just have lost our King!”_

_“She’s right.” I corrected my general. “We were never kings and queens. We call ourselves that, but we’re just leaders of our musical tribes. We’re not Royalty. We don’t deserve that title.”_

_“That’s how the leaders have been called for generations.” Pine retorted. “You've earned that kind of respect.”_

_The garden was filled with blooming moonflowers. We walked in silence, trying to figure out how to decipher the Empress’s name. The best idea was to ask around or bribe someone into telling us, but I knew it wouldn’t be playing fair._

_“If I don’t make it…” Pine whipped his head at me with a horrified expression. “I want you to be Pop Troll’s King.”_

_We heard sounds of scissors and followed it. An old man was cutting down bushes that had outgrown their square shape. A gardener seemed to be exactly who I needed to question to get a small hint of the Empress’s name._

_I followed him around and he acted like he didn’t see or heard me. Pine had mentioned that probably they all were used to suitors' impossible tasks so he stubbornly ignored me. I was about to give up my questioning when I caught sight of a marble statue in the far end of the white gardens._

_It was a statue hall with several sculpted trolls. Beautiful ladies with crowns and heavenly dresses. Their names were engraved by their feet: Gardenia, Camellia, Rose, Daisy, Jasmine… and they all had the same title: Empress of Music._

_“It must be a flower’s name.” Pine voiced my conclusion._

_But there were so many flowers, what were the chances of getting it right? I wondered if I could list them down to her._

_“I should give up…” I said and Pine silently agreed. If I stopped there I could walk out alive and move my people to a better place._

_“You should…” I heard my general’s relieved voice just as I looked up and focused on one window coming from the only room that was lit. Something shouted in my heart that it where she was._

_“Maybe I could steal a glance before going.” Pine panicked and I quickly grabbed the silver bricks, finding a way to support my weight up in a dangerous climb. My safety paranoid friend almost had a nervous breakdown._

_It wasn’t an easy climb. I dropped several feet a few times, but my heart was set on seeing her. I had to know how she looked. It was a matter of life or death._

_And I couldn’t have chosen a better moment to jump on her balcony. She was standing in front of a full body mirror with fireflies around her, helping her see the knots while she brushed her wavy pink hair. She was a sight from heaven, confirming all tales about her blinding beauty._

_Her dress had come off in layers, they were spread on the floor, by her feet, with bigger pieces of triangular fabrics on the ground and smaller triangles on top, closing towards the center where she stood. The soft pink layers around her made her look like a flower herself._

_I loudly gasped and she turned around in fright, staring at me straight in the eyes. She was about to scream but I cut her off with a certainty I had never felt before._

_“Lily…” I saw as her eyes widened and I knew I had got it right. “Your name is Lily.”_

***

Another Hug time. Branch looked down at his wrist once again. He barely had an hour to finish the tale and what a tale it was! It changed everything he knew about their history! 

His dad had been just like him! Safety nerd, a guardian, a bodyguard, a friend… everything he felt like he was to Poppy. It looked like the fruit didn’t fall far from the tree. 

The story continued with a small wedding and an Empress that seemed to quickly fall in love with the leader of Pop Trolls despite the initial resistance. Her devotion to their relationship progressed giving them both a taste of Heaven. He had completely forgotten about the troll tree, about the children who were hiding in the hollow trunk. 

_It was his dad who continuously tried to make King Peppy remember that he was supposed to go back home. Time seemed to go too fast on that Island and as the months passed the newlyweds were graced with an egg. It was when everything changed._

_The Empress seemed to grow scared and got so protective of her husband and egg that not even the Prime Minister was allowed near them anymore. The last time he was spotted near was to have a Royal Photograph taken, to portrait the generations of the Dynasty._

_“It’s going to be a girl.” She had said to King Peppy one night. “Her name is Poppy.”_

_King Peppy was surprised at how sure his wife sounded and the words that followed described how she stood in the balcony, bathing herself in moonlight and looking up at the sky as if defying it to come down and face her._

_“I’m going to be punished.” She explained, taking King Peppy by surprise. “I wasn’t supposed to fall for you.”_

_“I don’t understand.”_

_“Being Empress of Music is a heavy burden.” She vaguely explained._

_“I don’t get how you’re going to be punished for having a family!” King Peppy was seriously confused and Pine was right there, at the door, listening carefully and already tracing an escape plan._

_“My child wasn't supposed to be hybrid, she was supposed to be pure.” She looked intensely at the bright full Moon standing jealously in the starry sky. “Like I was … like my mother before me… like my grandma…”_

_King Peppy was silent. Why wouldn't she stop looking at the sky?_

_“Take Poppy and go back to the Troll Tree. Move to a safer place.” Lily said, getting off the balcony._

_“Come with me and hide!” King Peppy held the egg protectively in his arms, but he would never understand what it was all about. He would never know what he was supposed to run and hide from. She gently smiled at her husband and opened her arms, taking her precious egg and showering it with kisses. She wasn’t going to meet her daughter._

_“I’ll leave her a gift.” Lily said, giving the egg back to her husband._

The next pages were filled with tear stains and some of the characters had fallen out, unglued from all the wetness. Branch couldn’t quite figure how King Peppy made it back to the tree, with Poppy already hatched, revealing to be a beautiful pink baby. 

The last page wrapped the tale with his father sacrificing himself to get King Peppy and Princess Poppy home safely and a beautiful white Lily flower blooming brightly in the Moon Garden. 

“Branch?” He heard his girlfriend knocking on the trapdoor. He snapped out of the story and closed the scrapbook quickly, hiding it in the first drawer he found. The elevator moved down with a grinding noise and Branch panicked. He had lost track of time. She had knocked because she was worried. “Hey…” She said quietly, walking in the lounge room, seeing him sitting down on his armchair. 

“Hey…” He replied, licking his lips, as if it would give him time. 

“Are you okay?” She approached, seeing that he looked a little pale. 

“Can you…?” His voice failed. That was a lot he had found out and the innocent queen in front of him didn’t know about her origin and he… he hadn’t known how his father had passed away until that moment. It was too much to take in. 

“What?” She felt his urgency when he stood up, engulfing her in a tight hug and all she could do was stand there and wrap her arms around him, giving as much comfort as she could without knowing what was going on. 

“Just hold me for a while.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yep, another fanfic… I really don't know where this one is going, I do have a script, but it could change any time! This is based on the simple idea of Lord of The Rings: One to Rule Them All. Like there’s one dominant ruler of the music styles. 
> 
> Anyway, I wanted to write something about Poppy’s mom since I’ve watched the italian movie 18 Gifts and felt like Trolls World was a good field to explore a few tales that intrigued me over the years like The Tale of Princess Kaguya, the Opera Turandot (I love it so much!) and two Brazilian pieces: The myth of Victoria amazonica (if you’re curious: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q_w2slSwe-s) and a poem called Ismália by Alphonsus Guimaraes, which I believe there’s no official English translation. So, as you can see it begins with a lot of angst, but I do want to give it a lighter approach. Let’s see how this mix of inspiration goes!


	2. Princesa

  
  


Branch was getting some annoyed looks from King Peppy. The Raggeaton party was building up and only a few trolls were still sitting down because most of them had been happily contaminated by the agitated rhythm and butt-shaking beats. Obviously, the only one sitting down at the drinking cart, sipping on a safe stoutberry juice, was the survivalist. 

He played with the ring in his hand, studying carefully the gem and the engravings just to busy himself while the annoying loud party continued. As the Queen’s boyfriend, he had to get used to attending these events, but his head was filled with questions and he couldn’t have fun while he didn’t have proper answers. 

“Hey! Looks like I’m not the only one dying of boredom here.” Queen Barb playfully whammed him in the arm, almost making him drop the ring and - of course - she saw it and took the opportunity to pick on him. “Uh-oh, looks like boy-toy wants to get serious!” She sat down next to him and ordered two tequila shots. “We gotta celebrate!”

“I don’t drink, but thanks.” Branch pushed his cup away, just to have his face pushed in an amount of salt. 

“Are you going to let me drink alone? How undiplomatic of you!” She looked around, seeing King Peppy chatting with her dad and grinned. “Gotta call someone who actually knows how to have fun. Hey King-Pep-” Branch quickly interrupted her in panic. 

“Okay, I’ll drink. Just don’t call him!” He looked down at the salt, tequila and lemon in front of him. “Is there a sequence?” 

“Jeez… such a dork.” She laughed, picking up an amount of salt and licking it, to Branch’s horrified expression, then she shot down the liquid and quickly took a bite of the lemon. “Easy!”

“Looks gross…” He raised an eyebrow at her, but that defiance look just made him mimic what she had previously done. Obviously, he ended up gagging. “That thing is awful!” He exclaimed between coughs. His throat burned like he had ingested one of his firebugs. 

“Who would have guessed the future leader of Pop Trolls would be such a softie.” Barb laughed in delight, seeing his eyelids blink out of sync. “So… proposing, hun?” 

“Well, not exactly… in the future maybe…” He said, feeling his tongue going numb. Hm… it was quite difficult unrolling the words out with that taste… 

“Let me see that!” Barb seemed completely unaffected by the alcohol and her hand seemed faster than his fingers… uh… he somehow felt like he couldn’t control them properly. “Hey, it’s the kingdom’s ring! My dad has one!” She chuckled. “You’re not proposing with this, are you? It’s not proper.”

King Thrash had kept his? Branch turned his head to look at the old king and his head suddenly felt too heavy, making him tilt his head to the side off-balance. 

His eyes focused beyond the old kings, where Poppy was standing, several feet away from him, engaged in a conversation with Tresillo. Branch’s eyes narrowed. Why was everyone talking to her tonight? He barely had a chance to say hello… he liked the Raggeaton leader, but did he have to be naked in front of his girlfriend? Uh… was that a thought or did he say it outloud?

“... and they all were given one after the Strings got separated, I hear.” Barb was saying, not realizing that Branch wasn’t paying attention. “Boring witchcraft-y tale I’ll say.”

“Wait, who’s got a tail?” Branch turned his attention back to the Rock Queen who couldn’t control her laughter anymore and ended up busting up in an exaggerated cackle.

“Tale, man, tale, a story, a myth.” She wiped the tears off the corner of her eyes. He was such a funny drunk. 

“Hey, what’s up?” Poppy showed up, holding a cup with one hand and another cutely placed on her hip. Branch stared at her, melting in a smile and barely could answer. “Are you okay, Branch?”

“The man can’t hold his drink!” Barb laughed, patting him on the back and making Poppy look at her boyfriend in concern. 

“Do you need any help?” She asked, coming close enough to tilt his head up towards her so she could study his face. His half-lidded eyes concerned her. “Oh boy…” Suddenly his arms were around her and she saw a flash. Uh, she forgot about the photographers who were registering the event. “You need carbs…”

“I need yoooou.” He whined. 

“Hey, Queen Poppy!” Prince D walked in with his brother Cooper, both looking like they were having fun and moving their necks with the beat; “There’s a problem with one of the Raggeaton girls.” 

“Oh…” Poppy tried to make Branch sit properly on the stool once again, clearly divided in helping her boyfriend or standing her role as the party host. “What is the problem, exactly?”

“She had an allergic reaction to a kiwi cupcake, apparently.” Prince D looked a little more serious than Cooper. 

“Kiwi, funny fruit name.” The half pop half funk troll laughed goofly. 

“Is she okay?” Poppy looked worried, still supporting Branch with her free arm. 

“Yeah, Dr. Moonbloom was fast but her voice is gone.” Prince D stared at his brother who only nodded. “There won’t be a performance anymore.”

“Oh no…” Poppy shook her head. “I’ll find someone to get her place. Just give me a second to…”

“Hey, popsqueak.” Barb grinned devilishly. “I dare you to do it - you know, take her place.” Branch, in his half consciousness, panicked when hearing that. Poppy wouldn’t back up on a dare.

Both queens stared at each other for the longest time and Poppy’s serious face curled up in a competitive grin. Branch gulped. 

“Hold my beer.” 

“Ha! Gotta tell Guy to record this!” Cooper said after seeing the pink queen running towards the stage on top of the mushroom in the middle of Pop Village. 

“He-ey!” Barb cheered, taking the cup Poppy left with Branch and taking a gulp. “Uh - it’s not beer. Anyway, do you think she’s going to take her clothes off?” 

“Poppy-yy, wait.” Branch tried to say, but everything was spinning. 

“It’s not the time to be the jealous type, buddy!” She leaned backwards on the bar, perching both her elbows and sighing in contentment; “You’ll thank me later.”

_“_ _Llevas tanto tiempo imaginándome_

_Imaginándonos_

_No hemos cumplido esa promesa, esa promesa baby_

_Si tus fantasías bailan con mi piel (oh)_

_Mi boca con tu miel_

_(Y ya decídete) Se vuelve loca si te besa”_

That was way too fast, Branch thought that maybe the alcohol had made him lose track of time because he had the faint idea that Poppy had just left and the next second she was on the stage with Marimba and Tambora. He tried to focus on his girlfriend, putting his hands on his sensitive ears to stop the sound of the exciting crowd cheering. 

She was wearing a bikini, right? That wasn’t just… body paint… right? His stomach made a flip. He wasn’t sure if it was the tequila or the sight of his girlfriend swinging her hips like that…

_“Y yo seré tu princesa_

_Toda la noche yo seré tu princesa_

_Y en el castillo nos amamos_

_Quieres ser mi rey, lo negociamos_

_Y con un beso coronamos_

_Y yo seré tu princesa_

_Toda la noche yo seré tu princesa_

_Y en cualquier parte nos amamos_

_Si quieres ven, lo negociamos_

_Y con un beso coronamos”_

“Yep, that’s popsqueak for ya!” Barb cheered, ordering another shot, but this time she didn’t offer it to Branch. The poor pop troll was looking pale and sweating. “She’s kinda hot, isn’t she?” 

Did he drink with an empty stomach? His eyes followed Poppy’s hypnotic hips… Hm… he didn’t remember eating in the past hours…

_“Con esa mirada que me lleva al espacio_

_No te quiero suave ni te quiero despacio_

_Tú sigue buscándome_

_Yo sigo perdiéndome_

_Yo no quiero un príncipe que escriba canciones_

_Si tengo tu amor, no necesito razones_

_Tú sigue besándome_

_Yo sigo queriéndote”_

“Branch!” King Peppy seemed livid and Branch could barely focus on his future father-in-law’s face. He couldn’t even decide which of the four eyes he had to look at… oh he was in big trouble.

“Here.” Prince D offered him a bottle of water and Cooper came back with a huge chocolate cupcake. “It’s going to help you get back on your feet.”

“Seriously, Branch, is this how you’re going to watch her back?” King Peppy crossed his arms, obviously disappointed. Branch was disappointed with himself as well. He was a terrible boyfriend… but that was one good cupcake… and some hot thighs. 

_“Tanto lo he soñado_

_Pensé que el amor no estaba de mi lado_

_Tú llegaste, lo cambiaste_

_Qué lindo se siente estar enamorada_

_Si es un sueño y no me he despertado_

_No lo hagan, todo es más lindo a tu lado_

_Sé que lo he soñado_

_A tu lado yo me he imaginado_

_Que me quieres, que me alejas del pasado_

_Y es que contigo hoy todo es inesperado_

_Quédate conmigo, que todo es más lindo a tu lado”_

His dad wouldn’t let the King expose himself like that… he wasn’t on the right track to follow his dad’s steps. He was the biggest disappointment to his deceased father!

Uh, those light beams were making her look brighter… Was Tressillo nodding at her? How dare he! And she threw her hair back and… uh- did she just turn around and wiggle to everybody’s enjoyment? 

And she continued to dance with the other girls, her smile grew wider and the crowd screamed louder. That was some diplomatic party. Branch groaned, stuffing his face in a second cupcake. Was he even good enough to be her boyfriend? People loved her and he only wanted to lock her up in the bunker. He wasn’t the sharing type. No sir. 

The excited yells and cheers volumed up to the deafening point and when Branch looked up he could see that the performance had ended. Poppy squirmed happily and jumped down, going straight to him. His heart did a backflip… or maybe it was his stomach. 

“In-Your-Face!” Poppy said, pointing her fingers at Barb who couldn’t help a smirk. 

“Looking good, popcorn.” She motioned at the tiny bikini and body paint. The pink queen didn’t even blush, just pouted cutely and returned her attention to her boyfriend.”Yeah… he doesn’t look so good, though.”

“C’mon, Branch.” Poppy did her best to hold back a small smile. She just witnessed her uptight boyfriend having his first interaction with alcohol. He was going to need some help to make it through the night. She came around Branch, helping him pass his arm over her shoulders to support his weight. “Uh, Guy?”

Guy Diamond was glittering around, doing what he did best: light up the party. When he heard his queen calling, he immediately called back. 

“Can you take my place as the host? I must take care of Branch.” 

“Count on me, Poppy-y-y-y!”

Branch had just flashes of what happened next. His vest was getting covered in purple body paint, he tried to support his weight when he felt a hot warmth going up Poppy’s body, indicating that she was putting too much effort to help him walk. She was quite a girl, wasn’t she? His insides clenched when he felt the elevator going down and her sweet smell invaded his nostrils. 

“I’ll remember never to leave you alone with Barb again.” Poppy giggled, helping him down on the couch. 

“Mine.” He whined, clumsily wrapping his arms around her and bringing her down with him. 

“Oh boy.” She giggled, falling down on his lap, but couldn’t extract herself from his strong grip. “Do you have ice-cream? I think that cupcake wasn’t enough.”

She could smell tequila on his breath and her eyes went from his blue ones to his lips. Her smile slowly faded as she concentrated on them, seeing the shape, the way it seemed dry to the point of making him lick them. His nose was also very close. 

They had kissed before. Once. In the spur of the moment. She had just connected their lips in an excited peck and quickly pulled away after her head caught up with her heart. And this time, they were alone. Nobody would stare, or tease them, or make him feel uncomfortable in any way. She felt his hand going from her shoulders to her hair, to toy with her curls as he also got lost in her entrancing eyes. 

She didn’t know who moved first, but he shifted his weight under her, adjusting to a better position so she could sit down with both legs on each side. While one hand kept on her hair, the other slid down to caress the small of her back. Their lips met in a slow, velvety feeling, getting concealed moans from him and a sharp intake of breath from her. 

“I’m…” She started when slowly pulling back. “I’m getting the ice-cream now.” He made a protest sound, but let her go, allowing her to stand up. She noticed how his hands took a lazy movement, taking an extra long trip down her hips until they completely fell on the couch, on each side of his legs. Cutely poking him on the nose, she stood, seeing him pout like a brat until she disappeared through the kitchen’s door. 

Through the few years of friendship (compared to the more than twenty years of gray grumpiness) Poppy learned that Branch loved chocolate. He had an entire shelf of different kinds and, of course, there was a bowl of homemade ice cream in the fridge. What a wonderful surprise it was to learn that Branch was an excellent cook. Even though he lived mostly on dehydrated food, when he set his mind to cook something a perfect piece of gastronomic art would be placed in front of her. 

She felt at home in the bunker now. It took her a few weeks after they befriended the Bergens until she learned how to walk around through the underground rooms. At first it felt like she was intruding, but then, she realized he didn’t care when she ‘broke in’ to surprise him. He didn’t like when she guessed his passwords, but that was about it. 

She knew where he kept the bowls, the spoons and she even knew how much he could eat at once. She had done her homework. 

Hopping happily to the lounge room where she had left him, balancing both desserts on her hands, she stopped to see her boyfriend asleep, with his head turned backwards, mouth slightly open and a soft snore that made her quietly giggle. His feet were on his side, occupying both couch seats so she took a place on the floor, next to him, resting her back against his knees. 

The body paint and glitter was starting to smudge all over and she looked a mess of purple and green. She ate her ice cream in silence, watching the gorgeous boy sleep and allowing herself to stare as much as she wanted. 

It was funny… she had seen him grow up. Even when he was hiding in the bunker, she had to know every troll in the village, as a princess - she repeatedly tried to convince herself - it was her job to get to know everyone. But Branch always had caused a sparkle. At first she thought it was because he didn’t care and it intrigued her to the point of making her stay awake at night to hatch glittery plans to get a simple ‘hello’. 

But then… her teenage years came and rumors about who would be the princess’s first love interest were spread all over the village and hearing girls gossip about it through class was basically dishorientading. Everyone seemed to like someone. But nobody seemed to make her insides dance, nobody gleamed. That is… nobody but the bad tempered gray troll who mastered the art to successfully kill everybody’s joy. 

Her eyes felt heavy after her stomach was filled with ice cream. Her mind reminded her that she could cause a scandal by staying over, but there was no way she’d leave him the way he was. He could be sick and he’d need someone to help him… to the hair with her royal image. Tonight, she was going to be the girlfriend, not the queen. 

  
  


***

“Poppy?” She opened her eyes as soon as she heard her name, completely alert as if she had never fallen asleep at all. Her subconscious had been vigilant the whole time. “Hair, why were you sleeping on the floor?”

Indeed… she looked down and saw that while he had slept on the couch, she had somehow fallen down and ended up sprawled on the floor and getting it all tainted with all her Raggaton costume… she also noticed she was starting to feel cold.

Studying his face, she observed he had gone even paler. Oh no… 

She shot up and grabbed him with her hair, quickly walking towards the bathroom. She almost didn’t make it in time. The poor boy arched forward, emptying his stomach’s contents in the toilet while she held his hair. 

“I’m never drinking again…” She knew he felt ashamed. His pride was coming undone right before her eyes. 

“It’s perfectly normal to feel like that… you’ll be better in no time.” She flushed when he stopped and helped him up. He felt heavier than ever. “A cold shower can help, are you up for it?” 

He nodded, not being able to form words. She put him against the wall so he could support himself up and opened the fawcett. She shivered when the cold water hit her skin, but it was blissfully refreshing at the same time. Poppy yelped and turned around. 

“Hair, don’t undress! Oh - no. Leave the briefs on, at least!” He seemed embarrassed, but no blush came to his face, after all, he was too numb to come with any kind of reaction. 

Smiling softly, she pushed him under the water and he seemed to sober up a little. Making sure he could stand on his own, she went to the sink cabinet where she got his toothbrush. He didn’t even protest when she gave it to him and he brushed his teeth while the cold water washed away the grogginess. 

“You should take that paint off.” He said, pointing at the paint that was getting his beige bathroom in a whimsy color palette. 

“After you’re done, I’ll - AHHH!” He pulled her by her hair, making her crash against his naked chest. She didn’t know if her breath was taken away by the sudden cold water or by the proximity. She was very aware that her hand was touching a very hard pectoral muscle. When did he get that? Last time she checked it wasn’t there. 

Distracting herself from his long and steady breath on her ear, she watched as the paint came off, just like her wet hair was slowly coming undone to cascade down on a wet mess of curls on her back. She felt his own hair going down and noises of water hitting hollow metal made her frown. 

Oh dear… she giggled, - reaching up to take the nunchucks from his blue locks… also a toolbox… and a single screwdriver… - He smiled guilty at her amusement, being caught disobeying her and taking weapons to the party. She just rolled her eyes and reached to fumble up, looking for anything else before she got to the glorious moment of shampooing his hair. 

She found something small and round and frowned. His eyes widened and he quickly got it from her fingers before she had a chance to see what it was. He put it by the sink and quickly returned with a small mint scented liquid soap. She gave him a funny look. 

“What?” He asked, putting it on his hair, just to provoke a horror-struck expression on her face. 

“You use soap on your hair!” 

“So…?” He grinned, dropping some on her hair as well. 

“I’m getting you a decent shampoo and hair conditioning the first thing in the morning.” She announced, taking his hands away so she could wash his hair properly… soap… frankly… 

Somehow they forgot they were nearly naked around each other. The giggles between bubbles distracted their hormones by diving into a mindless game that ended up with very clean trolls and a very wet bathroom. 

“I’m hungry.” Branch said, already dressed in a pajama short and white undershirt. He was feeling less groggy. He could even dry his hair by himself, watching the pink queen using his wooden comb to untie a few knots that had only gotten worse with the lack of proper hair treatment. 

“I’ve got you some ice cream, but it’s melted by now.” She said, wrapping her hair up with the white fluffy towel he had given her. She was also wearing one of his shirts and for a moment, he felt like time was stopping. 

Branch could picture that scene every night for the rest of his life. Both bathing together, feeling at home with each other, talking about trivial things and just enjoying each other’s company. That was what he should aim for. That kind of easiness was everything that he needed. 

“Milkshake it is.” He joked, crossing his arms and smirking at her. She didn’t look back from his mirror to see it. She finished drying her hair the best she could - after all he didn’t have a blowdryer - and her eyes lowered, slowly looking at the sink in front of her. Just then he remembered it was where he had left the ring. 

“What is it?” Poppy asked, picking it up between two fingers. 

“It’s a long story…” He said, trying to get it back from her, but she was quick at dodging him. She spun around to stare at him, leaning against the counter with the cute and most seductive smile. She wasn’t going to let it go and she was ready to use all her charms to get the truth out of him. “I’ll tell you, just… can’t we talk tomorrow? When I’m not making a big effort just to lift an arm?” 

She cocked her head to the side and walked slowly towards him, making poor, nervous, drunk Branch gulp in admiration. 

“I won’t forget it.” She whispered against his lips. He almost dropped to his knees in surrender. What a beautiful girl. “C’mon,” She boop-ed his nose, bouncing those pink curls out of the bathroom. “You need carbs and a painkiller.” 

“Hey…” He called, catching up with her in the kitchen. She was already heating up some leftovers and ‘hmm’-ed when he entered, never stopping her work. He did notice how tired she was. The party for Reggaeton appreciation was a blast because of her unstoppable dedication in the last days. Tonight she was supposed to be finally getting a well-deserved rest and not staying up to watch over him. “You don’t have to do this. I feel much better.”

“Silly…” She giggled, cutting a slice of creamy cheese pie, making his mouth water at the sight of the mozzarella stretching out deliciously in front of his eyes. He sat down and she placed the slice in front of him with a fork and knife. She was spoiling him… and he could get used to it. “I promise I'll always take care of you.” 

His heart melted just like that cheese. 

“And I promise I'll protect you with my life.” And an adoringly kiss was placed on her knuckles just to prove his point. She jokingly rolled her eyes at him. 

“No need to be so dramatic, prince charming.” 

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So... Who likes a drunk Branch?


	3. Her First Kiss

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In this chapter, Poppy remembers her first kiss. Like every teen, she just wants to be accepted and for a Princess who doesn’t know her feelings for a certain survivalist it led her to trust the wrong people for public acceptance. Ouch. 
> 
> I got the idea l from Tiny's short film and I pictured a Troll High School like a series of Mushrooms put together with a wooden structure inside for the classrooms.

Poppy woke up with metallic sounds echoing through the bunker. She blinked a few times and rubbed her eyes, stretching while rolling on her back to stare at the brownish ceiling of Branch’s bedroom. He had insisted she took his bed while he slept on the couch. She remembered protesting and it ended up with him giving her his characteristic annoyed look so she let him win the argument and obediently slept where he instructed. 

Turning once more, she buried her nose in his pillow. It smelled like his hair and it gave her the most delicious sensation. It was funny how Branch made her feel soothed, happy and protected at the same time. 

In her teenage years, Poppy would never have guessed she’d end up dating Branch. She had been drawn to him. He wasn’t a handsome boy in his teens - based on the little she had seen him, for he had locked himself up in his bunker and only came out when he was sure nobody was around - but there had been something agreeable about him. something she couldn’t quite place, but completely enigmatic nonetheless. 

***

_The bell rang and once more Poppy had to stay behind to talk with the teacher. Her math teacher - a middle aged troll with glasses and dusky brown hair with white teeth and bright green skirt - had specific orders from her father, King Peppy, not to let Poppy’s grades fall behind. The princess needed perfect scores, even if math wasn’t her favorite subject._

_“I’m sorry, Princess.” Miss Dewdrop sighed heavily, being tired after a long day fighting for the teens’ attention. “But you see, your grades concern me.” She showed Poppy her last test with a big A minus in red. The future queen’s cheeks heated in shame._

_“I’m sorry, Mrs. I’ll do better next time.” Poppy quickly gave the test back as if it burned her._

_“Maybe if you paid less attention to the other girls you’d do better.”_

_She had noticed. The sharp eyes of a teacher with years of training did not miss how the princess had her hearing turned to the latest gossip of how the handsome Aspen Heitz had asked Gia Grooves out only to be refused with a complacent smile._

_Poppy felt a small pang of jealousy hitting her. Gia was perfect. Every boy in her class had asked her out. The gleaming glitter troll was the kind of girl who would only get more beautiful with age and her fine character and sweetness made her an elegant lady that attracted attention whenever she walked into a room._

_The rising fashion star Nova Swift had written an entire page of her new Trollgue Magazine about how perfect her combination of rosé and gold was and how it influenced an entire show she was pulling off. When the article was shoved under her nose by very excited twins, Gia - with natural charms coating her kind spirit - only blushed and looked pleased in a contained way._

_“And if I were you I wouldn’t care about the gossip that is going around the village as well.” Uh, Poppy rolled her eyes when the teacher turned her back to file her test in a separated archive, having it closed with a thick lock._

_The princess knew about the gossip and she didn’t care until she heard how the others were affected by it. It seemed that everyone knew she was the only one her age who still hadn’t dated anyone, who still didn’t get her first kiss._

_She pretended it didn’t affect her - because it didn’t matter until it became the favorite subject on everybody’s dinner table - and when her father knocked on her pod one night, just at the time she was carefully drawing Branch’s bed to get it to Fuzzbert, who had volunteered in helping her with the woodwork, she realized the subject should be taken seriously;_

_Biggie had asked her one day who she fancied and she had no answer. It had been a harmless truth or dare game and somehow her lack of satisfactory reply had started a massive fire of heated trolls saying she was a snobbish princess who didn’t think anyone was good enough for her. She had told her dad the truth: she simply wasn’t looking. She had been too busy with her grades, her hair-jitsu training and getting to know everyone to even have time to look at anyone differently._

_The king expressed his concerns and arranged a meeting with the teachers who were instructed to stop any sort of rumors once they were heard. Poppy had been kind of lonely before, but at that moment, she felt like she wasn’t fitting in her princess role. Her internal turmoil ended in more gifts for Branch and more distant observations when he left his bunker in the dark of the night to get whatever he needed to spend the next day._

_Miss Dewdrop asked one last thing before allowing the Princess to go to the next class:_

_“I’ve noticed numbers on the back of your trigonometry essay.” Poppy got startled at that. How could she be so stupid? She had marked the hours Branch left the bunker in the previous day in the back of the essay! “Is there something we should be concerned about? Are you having trouble sleeping?”_

_“Oh… no…” She forced a sheepish laugh “... it’s just the time I took trying to solve each math problem. Silly me.” Well, it had been marked 01:05, 01:26 and 01:47… The teacher already thought she was a failure anyway._

_"Maybe you’re having some problems with concentration, then…” Miss Dewdrop said, picking up a pencil that was placed behind an ear and bent down to write an address. “This is in the third mushroom by the lagoon. Creek is an excellent yogi, I’m sure he can teach you some simple techniques to help with your wandering thoughts.”_

_Poppy went straight to the yogi once classes were over. Smidge had said he was quite a gentletroll after the princess expressed her inclination on taking meditation classes and with a little raise of eyebrows she added that he was a well-looking bachelor who didn’t care about people’s society status because he aimed to have a soul connection. To sum it up: he could be an eligible troll to stop the gossip at once._

_Creek wasn’t handsome, Poppy felt like turning around and marching straight to her friend to have a serious conversation about rising her expectations. Once he opened the door he gave her a pleased smile and offered a hand. Someone had already warned him that she was going to meet him._

_That afternoon, spent with an exaggerated amount of incense and green tea, Poppy learned that he had finished high school four years before and left the village to learn the art of meditation with a famous Guru who lived in the mountains. He had mentioned a name, but she forgot it once it left his lips. Her memory wasn’t well-trained, yet and somehow she doubted she’d ever need that information._

_“My dear, would you allow me to scan your chakras?” Creek asked, giving her a smile that seemed to be trained to have a calming effect, but only appeared forced and fake._

_“My chakras?” She repeated, blinking a few times. “How do you do that?” What the Hair were chakras anyway? She didn’t want to ask and sound foolish, so she made a mental note to look it up in the dictionary later._

_“Lay down.” He commanded, taking the teacup from her hand and placing it on the wooden floor in a safe distance. Poppy didn’t feel comfortable laying down and somehow he felt her uneasiness, which only provoked a tranquil smile. “I promise you’re safe here, princess.”_

_The demonstration of mind-reading made her believe in him somehow and she leaned against the colorful pillows that were spread all over the floor giving the sensation the entire mushroom was one big bed._

_On the floor, she watched when he used a bug to float himself near her, sitting down cross legged in a lotus position and stared down at her small and frail form, edgy with anxiousness and suspicious that he was going to start a new rumor about her vulnerability of mind._

_“I need you to close your eyes and breath deeply a few times.” He instructed and she raised an eyebrow at him. She almost sat up again, having the urge to get out of there as soon as possible, but then, she tried to imagine what she would say to Miss Dewdrop and decided against the idea._

_Poppy closed her eyes, but if the purpose was for her to relax, it took the opposite effect. She had never been so alert, lying on the floor, with a stranger so close to her. She did as she was instructed, breathing deeply and feeling incredibly self conscious about her rising breasts. It took a mere second to slide her hand from her stomach to her bosom and a sharp breath was taken as soon as she felt Creek’s hand stopping hers._

_“I need you to keep your hands on your sides, princess.” With her eyes still closed - too afraid to open them - she obeyed him. Silence followed. It seemed like an eternity of stillness. She didn’t know if she was allowed to move, or even if he had left the room. The only thing that she was aware of was that she was controlling her breathing so her breast wouldn't rise so much._

_Her mind went off thinking that maybe she shouldn’t be so trusting, but then, wasn’t she being paranoid? Wasn’t the trolls the happiest and kindest creatures? Her teacher had instructed to visit Creek in the first place and Smidge didn’t seem concerned about it, quite the opposite._

_“Ah, I found the source of your problem, princess.” Creek’s voice made her involuntary open her eyes. He offered her a hand, indicating that his search was over. Still feeling odd, she didn’t want to make him feel rejected, so she accepted his hand and sat up slowly. On a mental note, she thought he was being way too careful with her to be normal. He was the kind of slow-motion gentletroll. “It is quite easy to fix, but I advise simple exercises of mindfulness five minutes a day.”_

_“Mind what?” Poppy had never been so confused._

_“Mindfulness. It is an easy exercise for beginners.” He explained, refilling her teacup with steaming hot tea. “All you have to do is to sit down for five minutes a day and concentrate on the present.”_

_“That sounds odd.” She let out a laugh and immediately regretted it. She didn’t know if he would find it offensive. “We are in the present, right?” She quickly mended, trying to cover up her lack of sensitivity._

_“Ah, but you see… how many times do you let your mind wander?” He didn’t look offended. Instead, he looked proud of explaining it to her. “Have you ever walked paying attention to how the fresh grass feels under your feet? Thinking of nothing else, but the grass touching your skin?”_

_Her answer was an obvious no and somehow that made her look foolish. She felt like a small girl having a big lesson to learn. A lesson that was so simple that it was a shame she let it go unnoticed._

_“You said you found the source…” Poppy questioned him, trying to find the culprit for her lack of understanding._

_“Oh, yes, I did.” Creek took a sip of his own tea and walked towards her. For a second, Poppy stood still staring at his wise eyes and only blinking in confusion once she felt him pressing a finger on her chest bone. It made her flush immediately. “Your Heart Chakra is blocked. The vortex is spinning counterclockwise.”_

_“Uh… what?” Poppy blinked a few times. She didn’t understand a word he said. “You saw that!? What does it mean?”_

_“Ah, completely clueless about your chakras, I see.” He gave her a sly smile and it made her feel annoyed and intrigued at the same time. “I didn’t see it, I felt it. Chakras are energy and I felt them spinning. All of them are perfectly aligned except for the heart one.” Creek stood up and walked to a corner where he had a side table with a few drawers. He opened one of them and fumbled around making noises of papers and pens hitting on each other. “Ah, found it.”_

_He returned to her with a big smile and Poppy could only smile back. He stretched out his hand and let a necklace with two stones fall in her hands. The princess stared at them curiously._

_“Green and rose quartz are the stones that help purify the Heart Chakra.’ Once again, he seemed patient enough with her ignorance. “Wear them and meditate with them. Soon you’ll feel much better.”_

_That was an amazing gift, Poppy stared at the golden chain for a few minutes and he talked more as she instinctively walked towards the door, completely in awe. She had never gotten a gift like that before. It felt incredibly intimate, even if she knew it hadn’t been his intention. She had never gotten anything from anyone - aside from her dad - before. Nobody had ever dared._

_“Hm…” She stood by the door for a few seconds, feeling a little lost at how she should repay his kindness. Then she got an idea. “It’s my birthday on saturday and I’m having a few friends over for a few after-party games… would you like to come?”_

_His eyes twinkled with gladness._

_“I’d love to.”_

_As she made her way back to tell her dad the wonderful news about meditation, she couldn’t help but stare at the gemstones, completely enamoured at how the colors seemed to shine under the sunlight._

_***_

_Her birthday party was pleasant. The whole village attended and Poppy was in a forced high spirit; She dearly loved her birthday, every single year it was a spectacular event, but since she had been training etiquette and learning about her future subjects, she fell in a melancholic wondering that maybe people attended the parties because of her position and not for who she was._

_Guy Diamond said it was nonsense. She was a lovely girl and everybody loved parties. All.The. Time. So, it was fair to make a mental note that her party, in the end, wasn’t anything remarkable. Not like Gia’s._

_The after party was what she really looked forward to. Smidge was surprised when she said she had invited Creek over and a blush colored her cheeks when she accidentally let go that she was surprised an older boy would take interest in teens' agitation._

_With a heavy heart she marked the sixteenth ‘x’ in her journal. Branch had missed all her birthdays so far. She even thought the bed she had gifted him would make him feel obliged to show up for a few minutes, but she was crushed when - in the end - all her efforts had been in vain. At least, she found comfort in the thought that now he could make it through winter in a warm and cozy mattress._

_“So… this is a Heart Chakra block symptom to invite people over and keep your nose in a scrapbook all the time.” Creek joked, making her snap out of her thoughts._

_“I’m still working on this ‘social charms’ thing.” She replied, smiling at him._

_“Glad you could make it, Cre-e-ek.” Guy Diamond glittered around, giving him a cup of soda, which he refused._

_“Oh, thank you my kind friend, but I don’t fill my body with these artificial venoms.” Creek answered, taking Biggie’s attention. “I live on clean water and tea.”_

_“Poppy has tea in her cupboard!” Biggie immediately said, doing his best to agree with the princess’s new friend and possible suitor. He held Mr. Dinkles close and quickly retreated to the kitchen, from where were heard sounds of pans and running water._

_“You are a special girl, Poppy.” Creek approached her one more time and she gave him her full attention. He noticed she was wearing the necklace he had given her.”Do you mind if I call you by your name, Princess?” Caught by the sudden question, she just shook her head and he continued. “Like I was saying, you have something in your aura. I can’t exactly say what it is, but you have something nobody else does.”_

_“Well duh,” Cooper laughed, raising his four legs in the air and rolled in the pink pod’s ground. “It’s called royal blood.”_

_Creek laughed as well, but gave her an apologetic smile, as if he wanted to catch up with the subject in a more appropriate time. But his words were constantly recalled in her head during the games they had: you’re special. You have something nobody else does. It made her think that maybe at some point could be better than Gia._

_Biggie came back with tea for Creek and they all sat down for a harmless game of truth or dare. Poppy thought it was very nice of the yogi to participate in such a childish game, but he didn’t seem to care. While Poppy was busy trying to figure if he too would be infatuated with the pink and gold glitter troll once he saw her and she didn’t even notice that Satin had dared her to spend Seven Minutes in Heaven with Cooper._

_Panicking at the possible outcome of having her first kiss with her friend and the whole village knowing about it, Poppy went pale and Creek, with his high spiritual sensitivity captured the disturbance in her vibrations._

_“Well, it looks like Cooper is a bit busy.” Indeed, the goofy troll was picking on the leftovers of a cupcake he had found inside his hat. “I’ll take his place.”_

_Silence followed as her friends realized that the princess had someone who might finally have taken interest in her exaggerated pink look. Someone who dared to step up and sacrifice himself to media exposure just to take the weight off Poppy’s shoulders._

_Seeing that her friend's problem might have just been resolved, Smidge quickly pushed them both inside the wardrobe without giving them a chance to protest. Satin was blushing and Chenille pretended she wasn’t interested in what was going to happen in there and… - of course - one by one - they all approached the wooden doors and leaned against them to hear what was going on inside._

_Poppy sat as far from Creek as possible. Her massive pink curls seemed to occupy too much space and she didn’t want her hair itching his nose._

_“You seem to have a disturbance in your aura again, my dear.” Creek moved a little closer, which made her nervously press against the wall on her side. “You seem to desperately seek to be on everyone’s good side.” Poppy blinked twice when she heard him. “Don’t take things so seriously, if you have fun everybody will eventually join you.”_

_“Easier said than done.” She looked to the opposite side. She couldn’t see him properly in the dark so there wasn’t a point in trying to sustain his gaze. “There’s a lot of pressure to be accepted as a good queen. There’s a whole successful dynasty to live up to.”_

_“Even when bad things happen, there’s a lesson to be learned; when it rains, focus on the cupcakes you can bake indoors… and the rainbows that come afterwards.”_

_“Cupcakes and rainbows…” Poppy hugged her knees in a small pensive smile. “I like that…”_

_“You can’t be perfect all the time. Don’t be so hard on yourself.” He sighed, as if in pain._

_“Are you okay?” She turned her attention to him in alarm._

_“I’m just wondering how long it has been since we’ve been trapped here.” Creek said, taking a long breath. “It’s getting a little difficult, even for me.”_

_“Difficult?” She repeated him, thinking that maybe he was allergic to her shampoo._

_“Well… you know this thing - he lifted a finger and she could see him pointing at himself and then at her - that is happening between us. It’s getting difficult for me to stay close to you without losing control.”_

_He completely caught her off guard. Hearing that she could make someone lose control - a yogi nonetheless - sounded incredibly flattering. Nobody had ever said she had the power to do that. She felt her cheeks burning and motioned to push the wardrobe’s door open. Perhaps she should just leave and end his torment, but then, as he saw what she was about to do, he caught her hand and moved forward, touching her lips with his._

_She was flabbergasted. Her first kiss was happening right there and somehow she couldn’t turn her mind off and just enjoy the feeling. She kept analyzing how strange it felt to have someone’s lips moving against hers like that. It was just flesh… wet flesh… and she smelled the faint smell of green tea on his breath and her stomach churned. She wasn’t going to drink tea for a while._

_Most surprisingly, yet was that part when he pushed his knees up, almost completely covering her. She felt her back bruising against the heel of a turned shoe, but she would rather have a mark on her back. What was wrong with her? Wasn’t that what she wanted? That someone would like her like all boys liked Gia?_

_He slipped his tongue inside her mouth and nausea hit her. Spongy was the word that she chose to describe the feeling. It wasn’t pleasant. At all. Why would everyone make a fuss about it?_

_Smidge chose that moment to burst the door open and caught them tangled in each other, which immediately made Creek back off and give her a guilty look. Excited squeals and whistles were heard all over the pod and she knew the next day everybody would know that she wasn’t a snobbish princess… she just preferred older boys;_

_***_

She opened her eyes curiously when she heard grunting and the metallic sound once again. Deciding that she had stayed too long in bed, Poppy pushed the blankets away and stood up, adjusting Branch’s shirt down. 

Tip-toying out his bedroom, she didn’t see him on the couch and the elevator stopped in a middle level gave her a clue that he was up early and already working. The hangover she expected him to have apparently wasn’t bound to happen. 

She found a few berries on the side table next to the couch and got them in her hands. Happily chewing, Poppy made her way towards the level where Branch was and as soon as she saw him, all pink berries were dropped on the floor. He was laying on a bench with impressive weight hanging on each side of a bar while he lifted it up and brought it back down again in an amazingly slow supine. 

“Poppy…?” He sat down, seeing that she had walked in and was looking at him as if frozen in place. Indeed, there was no way she could rationally move when her boyfriend was glistening with sweat and looking like he could lift three of her in each arm. “Hey, Poppy!”

“What?” She snapped out of her thoughts. 

“You’re spacing out.” He looked concerned, watching her as he dried himself with a white towel. 

“Oh, just… wondering when you started working out.” Her voice sounded a little mouse-y and he busied himself by getting the berries from the floor. 

“A few weeks ago.” He smiled, “Although I’ve always had hair exercises, I just thought that it’s time to work the rest of the body, too.” His joke was very appreciated. 

“Well…” She breathily said, stuffing one more berry in her mouth to keep her from giving way how enthusiastic she was about the news, “Since you look like you won’t be having a hangover, I should go.”

“What? Already?” Branch seemed disappointed. “It’s not even past the third hugtime, yet.”

“Oh Hair!” She clasped both her hands on her cheeks. “I’m late for hair-jitsu class!” The anticipation of a very angry sensei making her climb a thousand steps with water buckets on each hand made her completely forget about the yummy boyfriend. “Gotta go!”

“Poppy!” He called and she quickly gave him a hug before completely vanishing to the surface. He wondered when she would realize that she had left the bunker wearing nothing but his shirt. 

The rumors would go wild. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes... not every first kiss is a good experience, right? 
> 
> BTW, I've been flamed in DM messages lately. Constructive criticism is welcomed, but plain harsh words just disencourage me to write. I recommend reading the full story to understand why some characters act one way or another. So, if it isn’t too much to ask, could you leave a comment or a review? I really appreciate them! Thank you <3


	4. Her Protector

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First, thank you everyone for your kind words. I was having a horrible week and reading each single comment/review/DM skyrocketed my inspiration. Thank you again!

Chapter Four: Her Protector

  
  


_Branch was sitting at the top of the darkest tree, watching the princess’s party in the distance. He had showered and had combed his hair. He had a thank you note in his hands, but he was lacking courage. It felt a little weird, being invited to a teen party when he wasn’t a teen himself anymore._

_He had had wonderful nights of sleep in the heavenly fluffy mattress. He had gotten so used to the cold floor and sleeping bag that he had almost forgotten how good it felt to have a nice blanket and white sheets. Yep, she had delivered the whole package._

_He spotted her jumping from troll to troll, making sure everyone was having a good time and forgetting to dance. She would offer snacks and drinks and would introduce shy people to a proper group. He rolled his eyes at her, seeing that she was the only one who wasn't having fun._

_A pink troll with blue hair hoovered in the party, using a bug as transportation. Branch gritted his teeth at the sight of Creek, the one who had always picked on him during classes and the reason for his dropout. Branch had done so much better alone with books than having a teacher to explain the lessons. Putting up with trolls his age everyday had been stressful and in the end, he found out he was autodidactic._

_It didn’t diminish his frustration with Creek, even if they hadn’t seen each other in more than four years, the resentment was still there and still tasted bitter._

_The party ended and Branch didn’t work on the courage to walk in. He knew Poppy’s close friends would visit her pod afterwards and he thought that maybe it was a good opportunity to thank her, since the crowd would be smaller. Then Creek walked in and his will to get in there completely vanished._

_He still stood in the tree, watching the lights going out around the village and her pod still remained the one that kept the agitation going strong. The Moon had already crossed the sky when DJ left, then Cooper, followed by Satin and Chenille. It took additional several minutes then Smidge walked out, giggling like she had just heard a funny joke and finally it was Creek’s turn to walk out, looking pleasantly zen._

_Branch frowned at his disaffection, but stood quietly still, hidden between the leaves, making sure everyone had gone away before he dropped the thank you note and ran before he could be spotted. But then, he heard Biggie talking with Poppy at the door._

_“Are you sure you’re okay? He didn’t force you, did he?” The blue troll looked concerned and Branch focused his eyes on Poppy’s pale face. She tried to hide her distress behind a smile, but it was so obvious that she was pulling up a façade that he could spot it from where he stood._

_“Don’t worry about me.” She hugged her friend and he reluctantly left, still watching her from time to time until he disappeared behind a bush._

_Branch looked at the note and tore it to pieces. He completely lost the timing. She was in an ill humour and if he showed up now he’d only make her feel worse for he had the natural skill of picking on her, even when he didn’t try to._

_He heard a gagging sound and lifted his eyes from the ruined note. He saw Poppy placing a hand on her mouth and jumping out of her pod straight to the tree roots where she emptied her stomach. He shook his head, concluding that she had had too much to drink. What a queen she was going to be one day: getting drunk at sixteen._

***

Branch thought he wasn’t going to get away with an explanation about the ring. His mind was still a bit foggy about the previous night, but the headache was controlled with food and painkillers, thanks to Poppy’s wise advice. 

After having a quick shower to wash away the sweat, he prepared some coffee and sat down by the table in the middle of his kitchen with the history scrapbook opened in front of him. He compared the map made by historians and the one made by King Peppy. They had a lot of similarities, which made him suppose the Moon Island was far in the East, somewhere between Volcano Rock City and Techno Reef. 

That made sense. According to the history book there was an empire that coordinated the tribes, looking after its necessities, maintaining the peace and preserving friendly relations, but eventually the tribes became independent and developed on their own, growing in isolation. As they consulted the empress less and less each generation, the story about one supreme ruler went forgotten and younger trolls saw her as a legend. 

Indeed, he agreed that that it seemed pointless to have a ruler to answer to, these days, but if that ruler was Poppy’s mom, and if she had really left her a gift, he felt like he should at least try to find out if it was true. It also possible that King Peppy had made it all up just to have a story to tell his daughter. 

Although - his heart felt heavy at the thought - the tale also explained why his father never returned home when Branch was a toddler. And it made sense that King Peppy had always tried to enroll him in the activities around the village, how he had personally snatched the gray broken-hearted kid from his pod and ordered the other trolls to protect him with their lives during the Escape of the Bergens. The King felt guilty that he had become an orphan. After all, Branch was the son of his deceased best friend. 

It made Branch wonder if that was the reason why he was so quickly accepted by the King when they announced he and Poppy were dating. It felt almost like it had been expected all along. 

***

_“Good morning, Bark.” King Peppy stood in front of the bunker and greeted the gray troll as soon as he opened the door to do his laundry in the first hours of the morning, while everyone was still asleep and he could strategically avoid them._

_“Ah… morning King Peppy…. And it’s Branch, sir.” It gave him the chills when he first heard the rumors that the king was going senile. A drunk teen queen was the last thing the village needed, although from the amount of party going on, he doubted anyone would care. If a Bergen attacked, he would be the only one remaining._

_He thought if he should set traps to delay the famished monsters so he could give the others a fighting chance. They had laughed and dismissed his worries last time he had offered to protect them, though. Let them all be eaten…_

_King Peppy still watched him in silence and it started to get a bit awkward. He didn’t hide his annoyance from the King and for a moment, he thought the elder troll would place a hand on his shoulder, but decided against it._

_“Is there anything you need?” Branch asked in suspicion._

_“Nah… just want you to have a good day.”_

_That same day, Branch heard two trolls talking about how Creek had the princess' first kiss and he felt like running back into his bunker and locking the door permanently._

***

Branch circled in red three possible spots that he could make as the most dangerous places on the way to the Moon Island. He knew he shouldn’t go. He could just ask the former King what the gift was and how his father had died… also, it would be smart to return the scrapbook and keep it away from the public's eyes. 

It wasn’t the kind of story that would favour Poppy in any way. They would question her right to rule Pop Village seeing that she had a hybrid descendancy. 

He sighed and ran a hand through his hair in agitation. Maybe it would be better if he forgot about it. As far as he knew he and King Peppy were the only ones that knew about that scrapbook. A curious and brief thought made him wonder if Poppy had ever seen it. 

“Oh well…” He did the dishes and let them dry in the sink. He’d better get his day started. He needed to refill the tomatoes, since he used everything to cook a sauce. The water slide had yet another off-level problem. It appeared to be almost a whole millimeter which could be very dangerous. 

He could decide later if he really wanted to go on an exploration journey. They had just returned from the world tour and the tribes were still adjusting to each other. It wouldn’t be wise to leave Poppy alone with the amount of work she was having. That is… if he didn’t invite her to go with him. The mere thought of spending days away from his girlfriend was excruciating. 

As his eyes got adjusted to the morning sun, Branch made his way to his growing plants, seeing that his bright red tomatoes were ready to be harvested. Some basil was also exhaling a perfume with the blooming white flowers and it gave him a wonderful idea to surprise Poppy with a romantic dinner, she loved his cooking after all. 

He could cook her a salad, too… he had a fantastic recipe he hadn’t tried yet and it required some sweety drops to add a little peppery in the mix. He knew where he could find them, and if he hurried he could ask Herman the Hermit for a decent amount of the red delicacies before it was time to fix the slide. 

The meadow wasn't far away and Branch walked faster. Herman wasn’t just very good at dancing, he was also good at keeping a low profile while gathering information and different types of imported commodities while refining his camouflage skills. The teal troll wondered why he never mentioned the other tribes. Surely, Herman was one of the oldest trolls and one of the wisest, it was nearly impossible he hadn’t wandered about their territories. 

“Herman? Hello?” Branch called when he entered Herman’s cave. Apparently it was empty, but soon a rock came rolling towards him, indicating that the Hermit was trying another disguise. “This one is impressive.”

“All my disguises are impressive.” Herman replied, looking serene as always. “What can I do for you today?”

“Just wondering if you have some of those sweety drops.” Branch pointed at the sack of tomatoes and basil he had carried along the way. “I want to make something special for Poppy.”

“Ahh… the Queen is going to need some pampering, you’re right.” The Hermit said and rolled a big stone out of the way, revealing a big stock of jars that had inspired Branch - many years ago - to work on his own. “She’s not going to be able to lift her arms for a few days.”

“What are you talking about?” Branch asked, arching an eyebrow in puzzlement. The Hermit gladly gave him two fresh jars and turned to roll the stone back in place. 

“I thought you knew. She was punished for arriving late.” Branch had an unsettling feeling in his stomach at that information. “Sensei made her climb all the way from the Dojo to the Glitter Temple with buckets of water in both arms.” He pointed at the hill where there was a long staircase, with more than a thousand steps. “I watched her ordeal. Quite a brave girl she is.”

Branch made a mental note to check on her as soon as possible, but another pressing matter hammered in his brain. Maybe Herman knew about the Moon Island. When he took off to wander in meditation he took years to come back. If there was someone who could confirm the existence of the Island… - and the truth about the Empress… and what had happened to his father - that troll was the hermit. 

“Do you mind looking at something?” Branch reached for his hair when his friend nodded, not showing much curiosity as he should. “Do you have any idea what this is?” 

The hermit didn’t seem surprised at the ring, but took it in his hand and studied it for a while before giving it back. 

“It is the Pop Ring. An impressive work of art.”

“Care to enlighten me?” Branch insisted, sitting down on the cold damp floor after the Hermit motioned him to do so. 

“Every tribe is supposed to have one, although I don’t think all of them still exist since they have no utility these days.”

“What did they do?”

“They were a way for the Empress to call the leaders for meetings.” Branch felt a chill running down his back. So it was true… there had been an Empress… Poppy’s mom. “From what I see you found out about the Moon Island.”

“Does it still exist?” 

“I’ve only seen it several years ago. You weren’t even born, yet. Your father was about your age I think, still a soldier in training. ” Yes… Herman had revealed he had known every troll in the troll tree in their first meetings. “I don’t know if it’s still there.” 

***

  
  
  


_“Straight your back, princess. Feel your chakras getting realigned.” Creek walked around in his mushroom, instructing his students during Yoga class. Poppy filled her lungs with air, held it in and let it go a few seconds later. It was a little difficult to keep her attention focusing only on her breathing, but it did have a relaxing effect on her. With her eyes closed, she had the sensation someone had walked closer and her suspicion was confirmed when she felt the Yogi hand on her back. “Expand your aura, change gears and become one with the universe.”_

_Yeah… Poppy tried to understand how it was possible to do what he was asking… she was barely keeping the breathing sync without getting lightheaded._

_“Namaste!” She said as soon as the class was over, already halfway through the door._

_“Wait, Poppy, can I talk to you?” Creek got her hand, making her turn in surprise. Blushing, Poppy nodded and waited until all the other students left. “You have a vibrant happiness blocked inside you.” He said, making Poppy’s suddenly growing good spirits to get restrained. In shame, she sighed and avoided his eyes; it was funny how nothing went unnoticed by him._

_Her eyes caught something moving in the edge of the forest and focused here. Her heart skipped a beat. She knew it was him. She felt him, even without actually seeing him. Branch was on top of the tree, getting firewood._

_“I think you’re channeling some toxic vibes.” Creek finally said, watching her carefully. “Someone is sucking the cheerfulness out of you.”_

_“That’s not even possible.” Poppy gave him a skeptic laugh, but immediately regretted it when he didn’t share her amusement._

_“You’ll have to learn how to stay positive, no matter what.” Setting his mind, Creek closed the mushroom’s door and walked off in the direction of the village, making Poppy run to catch up with him._

_“What are you going to do?”_

_“I’m asking the King’s permission to be your personal yogi. You’ll need hard work so I think it will take an extreme positivity booty camp to get you out of that teen blues.”_

_“Teen blues?!” That wasn’t exactly the diagnosis she was hoping for. Oh, her dad was going to be so disappointed. “Wait, wait.” She stepped in front of the older boy to stop him. “I’m sure I can get better in no time. There’s no need to get my dad involved.”_

_“You’re not trying hard enough, Poppy.” She had never seen frustration in any of her friends’ faces. In her teacher’s, yes, in her dad’s, yes, but never in someone’s who she considered a friend. “It’s like you’re not taking your future seriously.”_

_“I am…” She replied, not really knowing what she was doing wrong in the first place. She felt another pair of eyes staring at her from the top of the trees and the uneasiness increased. How could she help Branch out of his grayness if she wasn’t as happy? “I’ll do what it takes.”_

_Creek’s expression softened and he opened his eyes, inviting her to step forward and give him a reluctant hug. She felt the way his hands went up and down her arms, as if she was a child that had tripped and needed to be put at ease._

_The hug took longer than usual and she felt the curious pair of eyes watching the whole time._

_“We’re doing a lot of singing, dancing and hugging.” He explained, completely ignoring the fact that she had tried to pull away about three times; “You’ll connect with nature, my dear, and I assure you, you’ll make you so happy.”_

_“I want to be happy…” She whispered quietly. “Cupcakes and rainbows, right?”_

_“Exactly. Trolls just wanna have fun.”_

_***_

Poppy sank in the cold lagoon water with a painful hiss. Her body was burning and after her queenly duties had been taken care of she went straight there to relieve the soreness of her harsh training. She made sure nobody followed her, giving everyone invitations to random parties so they all could be busy during the evening. 

Feeling her body relax, she sank a little deeper, allowing her arms to float around her underneath the surface, because it was the only way she could lift them up without feeling an intense pain. She really thought after high-school, her job to be the leader and protect the village would get easier. 

She fully sank in the water to wet her hair. Opening her eyes while holding her breath, she wondered if, even with all the discipline, she was succeeding in watching out for her friends and family. It had been the second time in four years since she watched her beloved village be destroyed. 

Would she be known as the Queen who obliviously partied day and night, lost in bread and circuses, as her reign fell on her feet? Could she really let time fix everything while she just looked at the bright side?

Coming up for air, she didn’t see that Branch had come to check on her. The splashes had gotten his attention and he sat on a rock, with his arms crossed, making sure she was okay. At first, he thought she was wearing her yellow bathing suit, but as she swam closer to the shore he saw that she had nothing on. 

Blushing and not wanting to disturb her, he turned on his heels, ready to dash out of there as soon - and as invisible - as possible. Only, as he turned his back, he noticed bruises on her skin in a quick glimpse. Hiding in the nearest tree, he watched when she whimpered lifting her fluffy towel as if it weighed a ton. He heard her breathing failing, gasping for air unintentionally and in pain. 

She had two purple marks on her back, long and dark, as if she had been training bojutsu that morning and had ended up getting struck by the opponent’s staff. He wondered how many times that had happened and he hadn’t taken notice. As queen, it was her job to protect everyone, but who was out there to protect her? 

He waited until she was fully dressed to make an appearance. She was startled, but her body was in extreme fatigue and all she could do was blink at him in surprise before breaking in a calm smile. She tried - pointlessly - getting her bag over her shoulders a few times. He returned her smile and took it himself, offering her the small comfort of a back rub as they walked in silence side by side. 

“How was your day?” She asked sweetly, grateful for feeling his hot hand on her arm. 

“Busy, like every day.” He replied. “The water slide is ready for re-opening tomorrow, by the way.” 

“You’re a life-saver.” Poppy planted a kiss on his cheek and stopped when they reached her pod. “See you tomorrow?”

“Ah… do you mind if I come inside for a minute? There’s something I need to talk to you about.” She blushed at his question and he looked around. They were alone and it was getting dark. With eyes going from left to right, he knew she was considering the new wave of rumors that could spread through the village the next morning. The trolls could be quite cruel with their jokes; he heard something about an indecent queen coming out the bunker wearing only her boyfriend’s shirt. He had almost considered stopping fixing the slide and going after the troll who said that, but he thought it wasn’t worth it. 

“Sure.” She nodded right before gasping when he scooped her up and jumped inside, using his hair to hold their weight in a higher branch and balance themselves inside. He landed a bit roughly and she tried to suppress a whimper, but his trained ears heard her loud and clear. “Whoa…I wasn’t expecting that.”

“Sorry.” He put her bag on the ground next to her bed and helped her to sit down. At his careful moves, she noticed that he knew she was sore. “Are you hungry?”

“Nah…” She stretched her legs on the bed, feeling them throb involuntary, as if they still tried to mimic the climb from that morning. The truth was that she was famished, but the tiredness was an unquestionable winner. 

“Well, I’ll be quick then.” He sat down, looking straight into her eyes to make her fully understand how serious it was for him. “I want to protect you.”

“Oh…” Was her short and surprised reply. She thought it was an unspoken agreement they had: they protected each other. 

“I mean, officially.” Branch tried to make it clearer. “You train really hard to protect everyone. I want to help you with that. But mostly, I want to protect you.” 

“You already do that, Branch.” Poppy seemed confused. Unconsciously, she reached for the button of her dress and a faint line was formed on her forehead. Branch noticed that she was going to sleep wearing her dress because there was no way she could take it off. 

“Well, I might have found out something that nudged me to make it more official.” He opened her closet and retrieved a simple nightdress, seeing that it was the easiest for her to put on. She was all gratitude and waited for him to continue with his speech. Being a gentletroll, he turned around, waiting for her to get changed. “I found that my dad was your dad’s general. More like a friend and a bodyguard, from what I’ve been filled in, but that alone…” He turned around, seeing his girlfriend in plain silk. “... it made so much sense!”

She gave him the most adoringly smile. He didn’t know then if she already knew his father’s role, if she took in the sense it made, never questioning his findings. Tapping the spot next to her on the bed, she indicated that he was welcome to sit down. 

“I guess you’ve been following his steps all along.” She grasped his hands in hers. “I mean… you’ve been scrambling the jet critters once a week to keep them sharp. You’ve trained them for fire emergencies. You’ve caught many predators with your traps. Branch, you watch our backs all the time. You're a one man army.” 

Branch was caught off guard. He thought he was doing an invisible job. That made him a little emotional…. Hearing her say how much she appreciated his efforts like that. His mind was blank for a moment, not knowing what to make of her words, so he reached for her hair and took off the hairband, watching her pink curls fall on her shoulders. It would be much more comfortable to sleep with her hair down. She gave him a toothy grin and he smoothed her hair out of her face. His smile faded when he revealed another bruise on the side of her cheek. 

“I’m the one who should be training hard then.” Branch kissed her bruise, making her close her eyes and feel the warmth of his lips against her sensitive skin. “Tomorrow I’ll take your place. I’ll introduce myself to the Sensei and I’ll be crazy prepared for everything.”

“Branch…” She breathed quietly in protest, but her eyes remained closed. “... it is my job, too. As queen…”

“As queen…” He spoke louder, interrupting her and watching as she opened her eyes, paying attention to what he had to say. “...you lead the army. That’s your job. My job is to do the fighting.” 

She didn’t protest, somehow she just accepted his wishes and nodded, understanding how important it was for him to have a connection with his deceased father. The heavy atmosphere faded and he combed her hair with his fingers, seeing her do it many times while she got ready for bed. With aching arms, she would skip the ritual and would wake up with knots. 

Smiling at his thoughtfulness, she leaned back, enjoying the sensation of his closeness and the way he gently ran his fingers from top to bottom. She felt a small pull and opened her eyes. Branch accidently tangled a finger in her golden chain and curiously brought it forward to see two gemstones securely hanging from her neck. 

“I didn’t know you wore jewelry.” He picked both quartz in his hands and Poppy noticed, for the first time in years, that the green one was exactly the color of his skin, while the rose one the color of hers. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The description of hair-jitsu training is inspired by Kill Bill Movie.


	5. The Scrapbook

_Poppy got assigned to teach young kids after class. It had been Creek’s idea and her father and her etiquette teacher loved it. The general thought about it was to get her in touch with the purest forms of happiness - and it worked. Poppy loved the kids and her spirit skyrocketed to a blissful joy that was to be expected from the future queen._

_Creek’s teachings had been useful. Focus on the bright side; just sing; turn the sadness off like a lightswitch. She threw her worries to the air. There was no way she could let anyone down if she kept fuelling their happiness. All she had to do was to trust that everything was going to be okay._

_She never said anything to Creek, but, as the months passed, she became more and more popular during class. Girls wanted to know how it was like to have an older boy in love with her, but Poppy always brushed the subject off, saying they were just friends - it always caused the same roll of eyes as a reaction._

_It was true that he had tried to kiss her again, but this time, more sure of how she was supposed to act around him, she asked to take it slow. If he was sad, he didn’t show it, instead, he seemed to be even more present._

_“What is that?” Smidge asked during lunch, seeing Poppy’s green sandwich._

_“It’s a vegetarian meat made of jackfruit with pesto.” She took a bite and Smidge made a face. “Try it.”_

_“I’d rather not…”_

_“I didn’t believe it could be good when I first saw Creek cooking it. The smell wasn’t the best, but after it was done… hmmm….” Poppy squealed at the taste, and Smidge just looked at her friend like she had lost her mind._

_“I guess you’re really into this vegetarian thing.”_

_“I guess I am.” Poppy took another bite, but got interrupted by a shy voice before she was finished._

_“Princess Poppy?” Gia sat down next to her, on the opposite side, allowing Smidge to join the conversation. “I’ve heard how much the kids love you.”_

_“Hm… I think they do.” The pink girl shrugged, looking at the glitter troll trying to surpass a sudden wave of annoyance._

_“I’m so happy about it!” She grabbed Poppy in a side hug, surprising the princess. “You inspire me so much! Watching you, I felt my motherly instincts rising. Oh Poppy you must be the first to hear about this - I applied for an internship at childcare!”_

_“Oh….” Poppy blinked a few times, then forced a smile. “That’s awesome, Gia.” As the excited glitter troll hopped away, the princess returned to her sandwich that was finished in smaller and less enthusiastic bites. So… Gia wanted to upstage her in her job as well. If the girl was stunningly beautiful, held the art of social charms and still was active in the community taking care of small angelic babies… - Hair… she had more potential for a queen than Poppy ever had._

_Later that day, Poppy avoided Yoga after etiquette class. She knew Creek could sense her troubled aura and she’d have to come up with a reasonable explanation for it, so it was for the best to say she was caught in homework or something… she hated lying…._

_A leaf strangely cracked under her feet and she looked down. She barely had time to notice the long line igniting a system that made a net come out of the floor, engulfing her completely and raising up in the air so she was hanging from the tallest tree. On the way, the net bounced like a wip. It was designed to capture big predators, so it flew with the lack of weight and she ended up hitting her head against the tree, getting dizzy and eventually passing out._

_Her head hurt like hell when she woke up and surprisingly, she found herself in her pod. The large bump on her forehead was so evident that she didn’t have to explain why she missed class. Groaning, she turned to her side, seeing that her books were on the floor and her homework was done. There was also a simple crumpled paper written ‘I’m sorry.” on top of them._

_Her body hurt, but her heart soared. She hadn’t thought about him for months… but she had missed her small obsession. “Branch…”_

***

The teal troll fell on one knee, feeling the sweat slide from his forehead, around his face to drop on the floor from his chin. He couldn’t believe how hard that training was and it made him crazily anxious that Poppy had always been exposed to that kind of violence and he had never noticed. 

The Sensei was an old troll with a long triangular beard that went down to his chest. He wore a kimono all the time, but changed the outfit depending on the lesson he was supposed to be teaching. When Branch went through wrestling the previous week, they both ended up taking off their shirts. The senior troll had uncountable scars and Branch had only one on his back, illustrating his lack of experience in the fighting field. 

It was getting easier to wake up extra early in the mornings and the exercise routine went from torture to tolerable as his body developed resistance to endure the harsh hours. He also felt incredibly connected with his dad’s spirit. It was like he actually belonged in the troll community. He wasn’t a grumpy outcast; it was in his blood to take matters seriously. 

The scrapbook was secure in his bookshelf with all other books he had, completely invisible for someone who was just taking a look - meaning Poppy. He still owed her an explanation about the ring, but he was avoiding the subject as much as he could. He wanted to figure a way to explain that there were rings in each realm, but he still wasn’t sure if he should mention the Moon Island and her mother. 

Branch got back to the bunker even before the whole village woke up. He wondered how Poppy survived getting few hours of sleep during the previous years. Staying up late to chaperone parties and waking up early to keep herself in shape was part of her royal routine and it was no wonder King Peppy mentioned - more than once - that he only had time for himself after he retired. 

He turned off the water after making sure his hair was clean - the new set of shampoo and conditioner had a mint perfume that his girlfriend adored - and dried. With the gift of a couple of extra hours of sleep, Branch knew she was still snoring softly in her pod and quickly grabbed a basket with breakfast goodness to surprise her. 

It was a little silly of him, but he felt so in love with her that he couldn’t help but come up with ideas to show much he was into their relationship. Spotting the sleeping queen, he broke in a smile and quickly arranged berries, bread, butter, honey and milk on a tray. When everything was ready, he approached her and pressed his lips on her warm cheek, making her stir lazily before fluttering her eyes open to look at him. 

They mirrored each other’s smiles and she didn’t look surprised that he was in her pod. She had given him full permission to feel completely at home there. 

“Morning…” She said sleepily. 

“Morning.” He grinned, showing her the tray full of delicious food. 

“My goodness, Branch…” She sat up, staring at the first “breakfast in bed” of her life. “You’re spoiling me.”

“Well…” He poured her some milk and placed the cup in her hands, before popping a berry in his mouth. “You spoil me all the time. It’s only fair I did the same.”

“How’s the training?” She asked, sipping the warm milk and closing her eyes in awe. He knew exactly the amount of honey she liked. 

“It’s awesome. I can’t believe I never even heard of it.” Branch mused, getting another berry. 

“It’s supposed to be just for village protectors....” Poppy nudged his ego a bit, knowing that he was very proud of his new position. 

He watched her eating. She looked so peaceful, so happy and so close that he just wanted to join her… maybe he could. Lifting her blankets, he slipped under before sliding an arm across her stomach, to half embrace her while she ate. It felt so thrillingly intimate that for a second he pretended they were already married, fastforwarding their relationship ten years to the future, and finding himself in that same position, still in love, still having butterflies in his stomach when she smiled down at him like that. 

“What are you thinking about?” She finished the last piece of bread and laid down next to him, smelling the freshiness of shampoo and soap. 

“That I can’t live without you.”

“Charmer.” She joked, snuggling close. 

“So comfy.” He buried his nose in her hair, pulling her against him even more. They were going to be late and both knew it, but at that moment neither cared. They just wanted to enjoy each other’s warmth for a few more minutes. 

***

_Poppy felt her cheeks burning hot when they all stopped at the spot where Creek had picked for their outside meditation day. The other students looked like they were in better shape, but then again, they weren’t at the party the night before and they had decent hours of sleep._

_They were instructed to pick a place that called their hearts and get comfortable so they could start meditating. One of the students held a tree, another found a spot on the grass, even one found his heart calling from a mud puddle. Poppy first needed some water to get in the right mood and walked towards the noise and the humid feeling, finding a small but beautiful waterfall right in the middle of a clearing._

_Her hand went straight to the crystalline water and felt its coolness in her palms. She splashed her face and neck and cupped some with her hands to satisfy her thirst._

_“I should have known the water would call you.” Creek approached, after making sure everybody was chanting a mantra._

_“Yeah…” Poppy rolled her eyes, “It’s called thirst.” Now that they had been friends for over a year, she felt like she could relax and tease him a little. Creek always answered with a smile, but continued his train of thought, as if he knew she was just playing the petulant child._

_“What does it tell you?” He insisted and she just blankly stared at him. “It’s no coincidence nature allured you towards the water. You must step up to a different level of vibration. I think it’s time you learn how to be fluid.”_

_The seventeen year old just continued eyeing the yogi; even though she was used to the way he spoke, she still got lost when he tried to teach her something that would be valuable to the future queen. To illustrate what he meant, he took her hand and helped her to take a step into the cool water, feeling the crunchy ground underneath her feet._

_“Feel the water.” He said in her ears, making her shiver uncomfortably, like she always did when he got too close._

_But she did as instructed. She closed her eyes and felt the different temperature of coolness brushing her skin. She heard the sound that the stream made from its way down the closest hill and ended falling with a splash just a few meters away from her. It would work its way down the edge, then around the stones, big and small ones, until it reached her legs like another obstacle and continued the way around her to follow its course down to the forest._

_Be like water… be fluid… find a way around the stones._

_It would be so much easier if he just said those words._

_“Ouch.” Creek yelled when a stone rolled down a tree and ended on his head. Poppy opened her eyes just in time to see Branch making an appearance._

_“Sorry there. My bad.” The survivalist said, making the teen’s stomach flip excitedly at the sight of him in broad daylight._

_“Always obnoxious timing, mate.” Creek said through gritted teeth, looking not so zen when Branch took a step forward and grumply took Poppy’s hand, making her stumble forward while trying to keep up with him. “Where are you taking her? The class is not over!”_

_“Guess what?” Branch turned around, still having his fingers tightly wrapped around her small pink wrist. “I guess you should re-think your class. Don’t forget that water also dams. And sometimes, it explodes.”_

_Poppy seemed to be in a completely different world. Her blood was pumping loudly in her ears and everything else seemed to fade into a misty background. She just couldn’t turn off how warm and how big Branch’s fingers were while securely rushing her down the hill and back to the village. He groaned and muttered undistinguished words all the way and abruptly stopped just before they could be spotted by everyone else._

_“Look,” Branch let go of her wrist and turned around with his typical frown. Poppy noticed how messily handsome he was, maybe she had never stood close enough to notice. “Don’t trust Creek, he’s a manipulative jerk.”_

_He eyed the princess suspiciously - she was giving him a funny look - her teeth bit her lower lip and she balanced herself back and forward on her heels, like she was holding herself back from squealing._

_“What?” He rolled his eyes and immediately regretted giving her a chance to talk…. Because she didn’t talk. She threw her arms in the air and jumped towards him, wrapping her small arms around his neck in a choking and excited hug. He was completely caught off guard and his arms froze to his sides, blocking all kinds of happy swirling emotions that were building up. “Have you ever heard of personal space?!”_

_“I’m sorry.” She jumped back and spun around like a fairy tale princess. Branch only could stare and think how annoyingly happy she was becoming day by day. “I’m so happy you talked to me.”_

_“Whatever.” He shrugged, taking a step back. That was some loud princess._

_“Thank you for worrying about me.” She tried to keep his attention just a little longer. She was just so overwhelmed she wanted the feeling to linger as much as possible._

_“I’m not worried about you.” Branch said. “I hate Creek and taking someone as loud as you in the opening is very irresponsible. Your color alone could lead a Bergen to us.”_

_“Oh…” Poppy felt her good mood suddenly take a dive. “You don’t like my color?”_

_“Your color is like a big neon sign that says: yummy troll here.” He had said more words than he thought he would. He probably passed the word quota of the past month._

_“Well… I see…” She shook her head, fanning away the bad feeling and getting and getting a big scrapbook invitation from her hair. Happiness! She had to look on the bright side. Always! “Hey, before you go…” Branch was already taking the shadowy path back to the bunker when she called. At least he turned his head to give her some precious seconds of his attention. “It’s my birthday in a few days…”_

_And like always, her joy was killed when he crumpled the glittery paper in his hands, not caring about the hours of dedication she had devoted to it so he could feel welcome to join her._

_“You’re insane…”_

_***_

Poppy sighed in contentment when the elevator stopped at Branch’s lounge room. Everything was quiet, indicating that he still wasn’t home. He had got stuck in a malfunctioning engine at Sky Toronto’s factory the whole day. If it wasn’t a pressuring delivery to test the waters for international trading with the Funk Trolls he’d probably have left when the working hours were over, returning the next day to continue… but he was very keen to make things work between the two tribes. 

He had developed a surprising friendship with the funk prince and D was a very cool guy. He seemed to understand Branch’s urgency to have some time for himself and respected the distance… unlike Barb, who was equally friendly to the teal troll, but didn’t seem to get - or care about - his survivalist habits. 

The pink queen was so proud of her boyfriend. He had matured so much over the years, allowing people in and facing his fears to become a better troll. The village actually liked him and required his skills without the worry of having a door shut on their noses. He was an essential part of the community and owned all of her heart. 

Well… but that didn’t make her forget about the ring and he tried to distract her with hugs and snuggles whenever she brought the subject up. She seriously didn’t know why it was so difficult for him. Even if he was planning on - her heart felt slightly nervous at the thought of it - proposing then he should just come forward and say it. 

Proposing… they hadn’t done much to get to that point. Poppy somehow doubted it was his plan, but… a girl could hope, right?

It had been a long day. She visited Lonesome Flats for a friendly afternoon tea that basically worked wonders to build with the country's trade dynamics. Delta even confessed she had been having trouble coming up with new songs and her people seemed to listen to the same ones on infinite loops. 

It was getting dark and the firebugs lightened up, showing her that they welcomed her in the bunker like it was home. She walked towards the kitchen and started heating some water to get fresh coffee done. She had some bread in her bag that only needed about ten minutes in the oven. They needed to clear their agendas for the weekend because of a pressing matter that had been dropped on her that afternoon. 

Apparently her father was concerned about their relationship and had invited them over for a nice dinner. It gave her a queasy feeling and Dr. Moonbloom happened to cross her mind. The package of pills was noticed for the first time that day, rolling in her head, protected with her hair. Regardless of how the conversation with her dad would develop, Poppy felt like she had to talk to Branch about the fact that she was on the pill so the awkward news could be properly absorbed, without him having a seizure in front of the former king. 

With the bread in the oven and the coffee’s perfume all over the bunker, Poppy checked the time and walked towards Branch’s book shelves. He had a poetry book that she had caught him reading and he had allowed her to check them whenever she wanted. 

Using her hair as a ladder, she climbed to the top shelf to start her search. Pride and Cupcakes… no… For Whom the Bell Trolls… no… Frankenstroll… no… And a nameless book caught her eyes and she pulled it to check if the title was about poetry… but the book seemed older than others he had. The title had come off and the pages looked wrinkled. It smelled old, too. Curiously, she opened it and peeked inside, having the happy feeling that it was a scrapbook! 

The bread had started to smell, and she climbed down with the book in her hands, quickly taking the tray off the oven so it could cool down and stay crunchy until the time Branch got home. Poppy poured herself some coffee and sat down, opening the scrapbook to get engrossed in a whole new story…

***

Branch smelled the coffee even before he arrived at the trapdoor and his heart filled with love at the same time his stomach growled in hunger. Sky had offered cupcakes, but he refused to stop working to eat. All he really wanted to do was to finish the engine, get the track working again and go back home to have some quality alone time… or… very welcome quality time with his girlfriend. 

He had really been considering kissing her again. While he was perfectly content with the hugs, cuddles, the caresses and the hair combing, he really started aching for more smooches and he could tell that she was dying to get to that point with him. The last kiss on the cheek she had given him seemed to have worked its way straight to his heart and he had to admit to himself that there was no way he could carry on holding himself back. 

Her beautiful pink hair was tied up in its usual way and she sat by the table, flipping pages of a book and not paying attention to anything around her. He wondered how long it would take for her to notice he had arrived. 

Taking advantage of his position, Branch stepped forward, quietly placing his toolbox on the ground and in silence, he wrapped his arms around her from behind, planting a sweet kiss on her shoulder while taking in her strawberry perfume. He felt her raise under his arms and leaned her head against his. That heavenly state could drag on forever, but he felt like his stomach dropped several feet when he saw what she was reading. 

The page was open on the part where Empress Lily gave the egg to King Peppy, urging him to go away. 

“Poppy…” He whispered, untangling himself from her, but she didn’t move. He expected an angry shout, he thought she could even go away and take the book with her, he waited for her to stand up and throw the book in his face and accuse him of keeping things from her. But nothing like that happened. 

“Do you want me to pour some coffee for you?” She asked with a faint smile.

Branch was confused. He nodded just to test the waters and study her body language. She seemed her happy self, joyfully humming a song while she prepared the coffee and cut a slice of bread for him. 

He sat on the chair across from her and accepted the plate and cup. He mindlessly chewed on his food while staring at her unblinkingly. She kept turning the pages and a faint smile was on her lips all the time. Somehow he felt they hadn’t read the same story. 

With a cute sigh, she closed the book and put her hands on her cheeks to stare at him with those big eyelashes. 

“Hm… what did you think of the scrapbook?” Branch asked in suspicion. 

“It’s a cute story.” Poppy answered briskly, cutting a piece of bread for herself. “I have something to discuss with you, by the way.”

“No, hold on a sec.” Branch raised his arms, making her sit back down and look at him in confusion. “That’s how you saw your dad’s scrapbook? A cute story?”

“Oh Branch,” She giggled. “Dad has many scrapbooks and most of them are cut and glued in a fantasy version of what he really lived.” She reached across the table and grabbed his hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. “Don’t take it so seriously.”

“No, Poppy, listen.” Branch felt like it was some sort of emergency talk he had postponed for weeks. He couldn’t let his new findings about his dad become an old King’s delusion. “The tear stains, the story.. My dad… It must be real.”

“C’mon, Branch.” She rolled her eyes, making him very frustrated with her. “You know dad has been senile for years.”

“But the ring.” He put a hand on his hair and picked the ring he had been carrying since the clean up day. Poppy picked it up in her hand and studied it. She broke in a sad smile when she saw the engravings. He wasn’t planning on proposing after all… “It IS real.”

“Well…” She put the ring down on the table and slid it back to him with a delicate pink finger. She didn’t even try it on. “Dad invited us to dine with him next weekend. You could ask him and I’ll be there to give you support.”

“Hair…” Branch looked around, combing his hair up in agitation. He stood up and leaned against the kitchen sink. 

“Why are you so upset?”

“Because you’re cold-hearted sometimes, you know!” He didn’t mean to yell and he immediately regretted his words as soon as they came out of his mouth. Her eyes widened and she took a step back, as if afraid of him. “I’m sorry…”

“... sometimes…?” She repeated quietly, looking down at her feet. “As in… often?”

“No, Poppy....” He tried to explain himself, but the words just continued to come out wrong. “It’s just that you don’t listen when something is important to me.” In panic, he saw her eyes filling up with tears and quickly tried to show her something of minor importance as an exemple; “Like… when you threw the manual off the balloon… or when you kept your loud parties even when you knew I was getting anxious about the Bergens… or… or… when you ignored me and jumped on Bridget’s apron to save our friends… Hair, Poppy - stop crying.”

“I… I think I should go.” she rubbed her eyes, but that only made the tears slide down faster. 

“Poppy, I’m not angry with you.” He ran towards her while she was already stepping on the elevator. “I just… Hair… I’m not saying things right.” It was so frustrating and she kept looking at him like he would be able to say something to make her stay. “I’ll take everything back. Just let it go.”

“Let it go?” She whispered, looking at him as her hair contorted with emotional pain. “I’ve been hurting your feelings, Branch…” 

“Poppy!” He said louder, trying to get her attention. “It’s not that bad. Forget it.”

“I must go completely memoryless to forget it.” And she pulled the lever, giving herself some distance so they both could clear their heads. 

  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The whole idea of this five first parts was to prepare our broppy for the next events. From chapter six on things will develop faster. So, brace yourselves! Once again, thank you everyone for reading and for the lovely comments :)


	6. His Dad

_Poppy looked outside the window to the sunny day that she was missing. Her desk made a few noises when she repeatedly kicked the front leg with her foot. Mrs. Dewdrop was starting to give her annoying looks. The princess got a B on math and had to get an essay done after class to help her understand the subject and work her way up to an A+._

_It was the last day of school. The next day would be the graduation party and the princess would finally be free to face real life and eventually get her position as Queen. Mrs. Dewdrop knew that the only thing that was more humiliating for a princess than a B was the fact that she hadn’t been asked to the ball._

_In the end, she was going with her friends, Cooper and Biggie, instead of a real fairy tale date. The teacher tried to pretend she was busy writing down some notes, but her eyes were on the longing look and sighs the princess made unconsciously. Teens were certainly paying for some karma in their lives. They gave too much importance to matters that wouldn’t mean a thing in the years to come._

_Poppy had just turned eighteen and had learned how to be the best at decorating and organizing parties. They said everyone had a special gift and hers certainly was to be a bright, cheerful and loyal friend. Her hugs were the most passionate and her commitment to the village well being distributed like it was supposed to. It took a while, but she learned how to be the leader everybody expected._

_Her parties were the biggest, the loudest and craziest the young trolls had ever seen. She limited them at first. Her trials were with the Snack Pack, then, seeing that everybody had been pleased with the food and music, she expanded and invited her classmates. They all said she rocked out loud and it encouraged her to reunite all the teens at least once a month for a big party in an isolated part of the forest, where she tried different lights, glitter cannons and choreography that made her parties the newest craze._

_But still… somehow something must have been off with her because nobody asked her to the ball. Maybe they expected her to help the staff… and of course she would. Well.. yeah… her graduation was another royal duty. There was more to do than could be done._

_At least this time her teachers had been generous enough to help her with everything she made a start on. Once she realized the punch was almost out and went to get it refilled, Mrs Dewdrop said she’d take care of it. When Poppy saw that the playlist wasn’t stimulating the crowds enough, she went to replace it, but her history teacher quickly shoo-ed her back to the dance floor and changed the beats._

_Cooper and Biggie were excellent friends and Smidge joined in later, after having her dresses changed a few times because she continuously ripped them off with outstanding demonstrations of strength._

_Poppy looked down and saw the way her dress waved beautifully when Cooper spinned her around. Satin and Chenille had really found their calling. Their dresses were incredible and the pink princess could see all the strong points about each one she tried. In the end, she didn’t feel like herself in any of them, but picked one just to make her friends happy._

_“I’ll go get some air!” Poppy said to Cooper_

_“What?”_

_“I NEED AIR.”_

_“GREAT PARTY!”_

_Giggling, Poppy waved her arms in defeat and walked out of the school gym, feeling released from the pressure of the loud music so her head could rest in silence. Her body had throbbed with the beats and the refreshing breeze blew her bangs from her forehead. She felt incredibly fortunate._

_With a happy squeal she stretched, cracking a feel bones. She was tired, but glad the party had left a satisfied impression. Like she had passed a really hard test and now she was ready to receive her prize._

_A moan interrupted her thoughts and she spun around. Gulping nervously, her feet guided her towards the sound, even though she felt like she was trespassing into very dangerous grounds. She controlled her breathing because she feared the mere sound of the air coming out of her nose would give her away._

_From a half open window, she peeked inside a dark classroom and could see the shape of the two trolls that had occupied her mind during the previous years. It seemed Gia had finally given Aspen a chance and he was fervently kissing her lips, cherishing her like he could just drop dead with happiness. The girl’s face was what got Poppy’s eyes. She looked so joyful, so ecstatic with the attention she was receiving, while making all those sounds…_

_Blushing like she had never blushed before, the pink princess crossed the yard in a hurry so she could sit on the edge of the forest staring at the school and the village in the distance. What was WRONG with her, spying on them like that?_

_The sky was full of bright stars that night and she looked up, trying to erase the thoughts the previous sight had provoked. She had been kissed… once… by Creek… and it didn’t feel good, at all. Not like Gia made it look like. Poppy felt her hair coming down, but she didn’t care. She wasn’t going to rejoin the party, anyway._

_Was it all a big farse? She wondered. Were people just trying to show pleasure in a simple kiss when it was just plain disgusting? Or was something really wrong with her?_

_“The Bergens can hear your party miles away, you know.” She half smiled and closed her eyes in agony. She couldn’t deal with Branch’s paranoia at the moment, but also, her heart involuntarily picked up the pace like it usually did when he directed a few words at her. “Shouldn’t you be there?”_

_He sat down next to her - well, close enough, it could fit at least five more trolls in between them - but she still felt like he was being kind._

_“I heard you skipped your prom as well.” She retorted, smoothing her dress down, suddenly worried about her looks._

_“I skipped school completely.” Branch’s face didn’t seem so frowny then._

_“Still… you’re incredibly smart.” She complimented, making the gray troll look away in embarrassment. Silence fell once again._

_"Aren't you supposed to be with your boy, Creek?"_

_"Well…" She felt a playful banter coming, "Who cares about boys when I have Branch, my man". She got a blush from him the second time. “Hey…” Her tone changed and he looked back at her. She was looking up at the Moon and hugging her knees. Her dress flew around her and her messy hair was coming down from the tie in thick locks. Branch blinked, as if seeing her for the first time. “Do you think we could ever be friends?”_

_“Hhh…” He stood, brushing his clothes and adjusting his leaf vest. “You’re loud, you glitter everything up, you’re easily influenced, you’re unpredictable, stubborn…” As he kept going with all her flaws, he saw her eyes filling up with tears. She knew he was right. “But you’re also audacious… and your happiness is kind of tolerable…” She was holding her breath in anticipation. “... it would take a matter of life or death, but yeah… one day we could be friends.”_

_Little did she know that, back in the Bunker, he had all her invitations safely guarded and would spend hours looking at them hoping she would come knocking one more time._

***

Branch tried to give Poppy space, but he kept rolling on his bed. Two hours had passed since he had made a poor choice of words and ended up making her burst into tears. He couldn’t stop replaying the scene in his mind and the sleep wouldn’t come at all. He kept thinking how she must be back in her pod, still wiping her face and blaming herself for being so thoughtless with him. 

He couldn’t let her torture herself like that. Something in the back of his mind told him she was struggling to fall asleep as well. So, groaning in frustration, he threw the blankets off him and got dressed. In less than five minutes he was out of the trapdoor, marching straight to the royal pod rehearsing a big apology. 

The village at night was pretty lively. There was always a party going on, since Poppy had encouraged them that they always had something to celebrate. It seemed like they had never been happier… she had been right: the more trolls, the merrier. The tribes loved mixing their sounds, they travelled for hours to attend a party and they always ended RSVP-ing to a new one. 

That specific night, he had only crossed one after party with a few drunken friends hugging each other in an endless circle of ‘I love you more’. It could be considered a quiet night and the only pod that still had the lights on was hers. 

Branch sighed and whipped his hair up, wrapping it on a higher level to land just outside her door. He thought he was going to see her sitting at her vanity, brushing her hair like therapy to calm her nerves or scrapbooking furiously, but instead, he found her with her closet open, a few change of clothes folded on top of her bed and a bag opened with her toothbrush, shampoo, conditioner, soap. Rolled and strapped close was a sleeping bag that he had insisted she got, seeing that she only had a leaf to keep herself warm during their first trip to Bergentown. 

“Oh, Hey Branch!” She came out of her kitchen with several wraps, of, what he assumed, was food covered in foil. She was humming a song like they had never had an argument and placed item by item inside her bag. 

“Where are you going?” he asked in confusion, stepping inside her pod to check her closer. Was she feeling well?

“Where are WE going, you mean.” She spun around, biting down her lower lip excitedly. “To the Moon Island!”

“What?”

“Okay, I was a terrible girlfriend,” Poppy’s eyes softened, showing him how much she meant what she was saying. “I should have seen how important it was for you and I shouldn’t have brushed the subject off like that. So…” She looked back at her clothes and piled them up, finding the best way to put them inside. “... I thought it might be nice if we went there together.”

That was not how he thought things would go. At all. 

“Wait. Wait.” Branch quickly moved to her bed and took her hands, stopping her from continuing filling her bag. “Thank you, I was seriously considering going there.” Her lips curved in a smile and stopped when he continued. “But we don’t have to go right now. You said something about your dad inviting us to dinner?” 

“Well, yes.” Awkwardly, she brushed her arm, with an excuse to extract her hands from his. “But we could reschedule. I see you really want to go.”

“No, I think it might do us good if we had dinner with your dad first.” He couldn’t believe the excitement of his own voice. He was going on another trip with Poppy. Just the two of them, this time. “He could give us a few tips about how to get there.”

“I see…” She smiled sweetly, the kind of smile she would pull when she lost a battle. “I’ll let you do the talking, then. I’ll walk out of the room so you and my dad can chat.”

“I want you to participate.” Branch protested, helping her to put all things on the floor, so she could sit down. 

“It’s just that…” She opened one of the wraps and gave him a brownie, taking another for herself. “If it’s really important… something big like the Strings, he will try to protect me so… I think it’s better if you do the talking.” 

Branch ate his brownie in silence, watching her as she did the same. Their smiles showed gratitude and kindness. It was funny how they set things right even without mentioning the argument. The teal troll felt like he still owed an apology, but she was so contently snuggling with him that he thought he should leave it for another time. 

The hugwatch twinkled for the last time before going on silent mode during sleep hours. With a broad smile, Poppy slid her arms around him and he responded as caringly. He felt the way her breathing fanned the skin on his neck, sending chills down his back. Her tiny hands also seemed to linger on his arm, tracing invisible lines as if studying his color and texture. It was also a sign that he was allowed to touch, too. 

His eyes lowered and spotted the small exposed flesh of her shoulders. It was just under his lips and if he made a small movement forward he could… 

Her eyes widened when she felt him planting a small kiss in a sensitive spot. She didn’t know it was sensitive until that moment. Her eyes closed, concentrating on the feeling of his lips burning her skin so delicately. She really wanted that kiss to be on her lips, instead. 

It was funny how she had thought for so many years that a kiss wasn’t as magical as everyone else seemed to make her believe. But she knew, - like a curtain that was being rolled up to present a spectacle -, that what was missing wasn’t the action, but the feeling behind it. There was a reason why she had always loved Branch. Like a billboard lightening up in her mind, the words _he’s the one_ flashed repeatedly as their lips connected in a light kiss. She was never so sure of anything in her whole life like she was at that moment. 

Her toes curled, sending an electric feeling from her feet, up to her legs until it made its way to her hair, feeling her light up like a firefly in the brightest spring evening. She almost fell off the bed when she felt his lips biting her lower one, as if he was curious how it could feel. They were so comfortable with each other that it was safe experimenting. 

She felt his palm on her knee, it was sweaty and trembling as if he was a nervous wreck like herself. Poppy couldn’t help but smile, he felt her lips curving against his causing him to pull back with a soft and guilty grin. 

“So…” He whispered, awkwardly scratching the back of his neck. “Tomorrow night at your dad’s?”

“Yes.” Her breathy voice showed how much she wanted things to continue, but was a little frightened about taking another step. “I’ll help him cook so he won’t poison us both.” She joked, brushing the uneasiness off. 

“Ha, that’s my girl.” Branch said and immediately blushed at the sound of it. She was his girl. That sounded so fantastic! “See you tomorrow.” 

He leaned forward for a goodbye peck. Surprised when she saw his lips approaching so quickly, she tilted her head in the same direction and they ended bumping noses. She burst in a fit of giggles and he tried once again kissing her goodbye, but completely unable to aim at her moving lips. He rolled his eyes and stood up, holding her head still with both his hands. That way he could bend down and briefly connect their mouths. 

“See you, Branch.” He heard just before jumping outside.

  
  


***

“I don’t get why the critter pie isn't appropriate.” King Peppy said, seeing Poppy setting free the yellow and fuzzy animals so they could run for their lives. 

“I have spinach and cheese pie ready.” The pink queen placed the steaming hot puff pastry on the table. “I also made a ricotta and tomato salad and for dessert: voilá, cherry pie! Your favorite!” She gave him a kiss on the cheek because she knew he wouldn’t protest anymore. 

“Aww… my baby is all grown up and cooking her old man a delicious meal.” Her dad said, wiping a tear. Poppy chucked and started setting the table, making sure Branch sat close to her so they could grab each other’s hands under the table in case the subject turned out to be something serious.

“Hello? May I come in?” Branch called by the door and Poppy briskly made her way to him, not realizing that her father’s eyes followed her. 

“Hey.” She said, picking up a jar full of purple liquid he gave her. “Come on in.”

“Brought the stoutberry juice you asked.” And, because they were dating and it was supposed to be normal to compliment each other with kisses, he bent down and smacked their lips sweetly. 

“Thank you! You’re just in time.” She also tried making it normal to be complimented with a kiss. The first tries of their blooming relationship were tricky, not really sure of how much the other would be comfortable with touching or if the timing was right, but it was all very exciting. 

“Hello, Branch.” The King decided to make himself known, to break the new couple up before they went to their own world. 

“Hi, King Peppy. How are you today?” It was weird, even if they knew each other forever, Branch felt like he was there to be presented as a boyfriend, not as a citizen of Pop Village, he felt nervous like a boyfriend who would be introduced to their girlfriend's parents for the first time. 

“Good, my boy.” He said in his amicable tone, which made Branch relax a little. 

“So, let’s eat!” Poppy announced, placing the last plate on the table. The teal troll quickly sat down on the chair she silently pointed at and was very happy to see that she would give him backup and all her support in whatever his future father-in-law was planning on discussing.

The conversation seemed to take the polite and secure route. They discussed how the tribes were engaging in their friendships, how the parties to celebrate a style promoted diversity and how the kids were enthusiastic about the exchange program Poppy had suggested. 

“I see that you two are happy together.” King Peppy said, cutting a piece of pie with a knife, keeping his eyes down, but his ears sharp for any suspicious choke. 

“You know we are, Dad.” Poppy answered, saving Branch from a hesitant answer. She also stretched her left hand to affectionately squeeze his right one. 

“Good… good…” He trailed off chewing the delicious piece of pie. “I’m going to give you THE talk now. Sit back down, Branch.”

Poppy went pale and exchanged a quick glimpse at her boyfriend who had tried standing up to run for his life. She had forgotten to warn him about the pill… 

"I think we're old enough to skip that part." The pink queen sheepishly tried getting out of the situation, but when her dad set his mind, there was no changing it. She also saw there was a conveniently placed fruit basket within his reach… with a banana pointing out.

"You certainly aren't aware of the magnitude of your actions." King Peppy started, completely ignoring the supportive hand holding that was going on right before his eyes. "I had to personally brush off every troll who approached with a reproachful remark about you walking around wearing nothing but Branch’s shirt. Seriously, darling, all eyes are on you. You are a role model. I can imagine the trainwreck it would be like if you showed up with an egg before marriage."

And her mind was filled with thoughts of a busy teenhood when she had to show perfection even when she didn’t feel secure about it. The weight of those years were now a mere stone in the heavy bag of burden she had to carry, but she thought about Branch at that point. He wasn’t used to the spotlight. It could be too much for him. 

"Branch, are you prepared to step up as the Queen's significant other?"

Silence fell and Branch’s eyes focused on his food. The sauce Poppy had poured on top of his salad glistened with the faint light inside the pod. To buy time, the teal troll reached for his glass.

"Dad, we barely discussed our feelings, I think it’s too soon to-"

"Too soon to talk about your feelings, but not soon enough to be on the pill?"

Stoutberry Juice flew all over the table. Poppy bit down her lip and guiltily stared at a speechless boyfriend. His mouth opened and closed a few times, making a good impression of a fish. He looked at a stern King and returned to unblinkingly stare at a Queen who - he had thought - was okay with the slow progress of their relationship.

How - the Hair - was he supposed to respond to that? He was caught between a cliff and a hungry wolf!

"You should consider your options." King Peppy continued, "You can step up as King and share the amount of work around the village, you can choose to be a consort and support her from the background, you can remain a mere citizen…"

"A general." Branch blurted out, not recognizing his own voice with the certainty that the words came out. "Like my father. I'll protect her." 

It wasn’t Branch’s intention, but he was very happy to acknowledge that mentioning his dad made King Peppy completely forget about the awkward talk he wanted to give them (hopefully it wouldn’t involve bananas and certain prophylactics) and Poppy’s relieved sigh right by his side made it known that she was also glad for the outburst. 

“... I thought we would never talk about this.” Peppy said more to himself than to the young troll in front of him. 

“King Peppy…” Branch’s voice suddenly waved; he turned on his chair, he was facing the older troll with a seriousness that was very rare since he had regained his colors. He just had to know. He only had memories of his grandma and often he felt like a leaf that was floating away with the wind; without roots or perspective to where he was supposed to go. “I’ve read the scrapbook about you and Poppy’s mom - it’s not in the library anymore -” he quickly amended, seeing the slight panic in the king’s eyes. “... and I really want to know how much of it is true.”

Seeing the conversation took the foreseen detour, Poppy stood up and pretended to clean the table, she picked up their plates, what was left of the pie and salad and retreated to the kitchen, giving them the privacy she thought her father needed to open up. She was a little anxious to know if part of it was true, especially the part that Branch needed it to be. The best she could do was to take as long as she could to cut slices of the cherry pie and fill the plates with huge amounts of ice cream, decorating them with sprinkles. 

“My memories are deteriorating like an old scrapbook...” King Peppy started and Branch’s ears slightly turned down in disappointment, before the old troll continued. “... but I could never forget a friend like your dad.” 

Poppy peeked from the kitchen’s door, seeing her dad with his back turned to her and her boyfriend with sparkling eyes. Discreetly, she put the plates back in the fridge and leaned against the counter, eating hers and taking her time while overhearing her father’s words. 

“Pine was a true hero. I wasted no time naming him head of our defenses. It was a dark time, - living imprisoned in that tree in Bergentown - and I needed someone strong-minded like him.” Branch moved on his chair, sitting on the edge, “The original idea to dig the tunnels to escape was his. He dug day and night with the other volunteers. I remember we often reached dead ends, like a big root or a stone, but he was unstoppable. He kept digging until we found our way out. I remember” - King Peppy half laughed at the memory - “he had to draw a map of the tunnels and we rehearsed the escape plan about ten times until I learned how to guide myself through that maze.” 

From the kitchen, Poppy felt her heart filling up with love. If the similarities between father and son were enough to make her feel emotional, she could only imagine how Branch was feeling. Oh, she really wanted to go back there and hug him, but the fear of intimidating her dad spoke louder, making her fill her mouth another bite of pie. 

“How… did he…?” Branch couldn’t say the words and King Peppy understood what he meant. 

“Saving us.” He reassured the younger troll. “Like I said, he was a hero.” Of course, in the mind of an orphan the thought of his father dying to save someone else and leaving his child was very disturbing. Duty or no duty, he was just a child who ended up all alone. “He was skilled in combat like no-one else I ever knew, a brilliant tactician. And his heart was in the right place. He did everything because he wanted you to be raised free from that tree. Since you were born you motivated him to escape. He once talked about how wonderful it would be to see you running free with your kite.” At this point, Branch was trying very hard to fight a few tears. He was having conflicting thoughts: he mused over how he could have lived incarcerated in Bergentown, happily, with a living father, and how impressed and honored he felt that his dad had gone through all that - even gave his own life - simply to see him grow up worryfree. “But when I returned, the disaster with Rosiepuff had occurred and you were gray.”

Branch remembered trolls knocking on his pod, begging him to go out, to let them help him. But he solely refused everyone. 

Poppy chose that moment to get back in the room, carrying the plates with the dessert. She kissed her father on the forehead and placed a hand on Branch’s shoulder. She wanted to show him she was there for him, but still didn’t think her dad was ready to see a more intimate display of affection. 

“And what about Poppy’s mom?” Branch asked, after giving his girlfriend a thankful look and returning his attention to King Peppy. 

“Her mom?” The old King laughed, thrillingly enjoying the taste of the pie. “That part is mostly a fairy tale.” And the conversation ended there.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Once again, thank you everyone for your kind words! I hope you liked this chapter. Can you see where this is going already or am I being too mysterious? LOL.


	7. To the Moon Island!

“I’m so excited!” Poppy said for the third time because in the previous two her boyfriend didn’t reply. She felt her feet bumping with a burst of energy that made her bend her knees several times like a stationary run. Branch somehow remained quiet, with his nose buried in the map in front of him and pretending she wasn’t making all that noise, in the middle of the forest, with several potentially hazardous critters watching them as they passed by. “Why are you not talking to me?”

“Because!” He replied, feeling a lot like their first adventure together to save their friends. He was annoyed. He was angry that she had proved her point, that the part of the scrapbook about her mother was made up by her father. At least the part about his dad was true, but, still… he felt frustrated that a lot was left out. They ended up leaving without telling her father about their plans to visit the Moon Island and the regret made him even bitter.

They just couldn’t trust their King!

“I thought you were happy we were going on another adventure together…” Poppy said quietly, watching the way his backpack slightly bounced as he walked, still with the map opened in front of him. She mindlessly pulled the straps of her own bag when, again, he didn’t respond. “I think you would have been a great King.”

That got a reaction. She heard the map ripping, but it was clear that the surprise was brief enough not to completely tear it apart. His head bent down and his shoulders raised and fell as if he needed to refresh his lungs to prepare to face her. He had tried not to think about that part of the scrapbook.

“You’re so smart, so loyal…” She continued. “I bet our village would be so well prepared, with all defenses, that Barb couldn’t have invaded in the first place.” Branch turned around to fix his eyes on her and the reverie that had consumed her speech died on her lips. He looked sad and angry at the same time, because he knew that even if in that hypothetical scenario, it would mean never getting to know her. He couldn’t bear that thought.

“You shouldn’t joke about it.” His voice was just above a whisper and Poppy felt completely lost at how she should conduct the conversation. Lucky for her, his next comment helped a lot. “I can't think of a different life. You are an amazing queen. You were born to do it.”

“No, I was raised to do it.” The lightness was back and she waited until he folded the map and placed it in his pocket.

“What do you mean?”

“You know,” She shrugged, clasping her hands behind her back and walking around him with that adorable attitude that completely dismissed the seriousness of the subject. “When I was a child I just wanted to play tag… I couldn’t understand why if I hid behind a leaf everyone else would go there and hide, too. Then, as I grew a little and everything I did either was praised or scorned, I understood I was a public matter.”

“I didn’t know that.” He frowned, watching her carefree smile. The heaviness lingering in the air was just felt on his part. She seemed light as the wind.

“Nah, nobody does. It got easier with time, controlling, restraining… thinking about how it will look in others’ eyes if I did something I wasn’t supposed to… Now it’s natural and I love it. Really.”

He did remember when he was in her skin once, - in an absurd event involving a magical gemstone that caused him and Poppy to switch bodies - he felt completely crushed by attention. Everybody came to her from everywhere, they begged for a glimpse, for a hug, for the small fraction of her time. Did she even have privacy? At all? And finally, going back to the subject that started that small random conversation, he imagined if he had ever been king, he would be the most miserable one.

They exchanged a smile, both coming to an agreement that the journey was going to be pleasant, as he had previously thought it was going to be. Still, there was one thing he had to ask before he completely cleared the air.

“Poppy, seriously, aren’t you worried that your dad is lying?”

“He’s not lying, he’s suppressing the part that I don’t really have a mom, so I won’t be broken hearted. It’s kind of cute how much he worries about me.”

“You can’t be that naive…”

And there it was again. That smile and her most deadly weapon: a hug. She stepped forward and wrapped her arms around him warmly and softly. In her mind, she answered him because she didn’t dare to voice what was really going on, 'I may be naive… or maybe I have a bad feeling about this.’

“Can we go now?” She offered him her hand and he gladly took it.

***

_“You can’t go now. You’ll miss the ending!" Creek said in her ear as Poppy stood up from her chair; a few eyes turned from the play to pay attention to her._

_"It’s Romeo and Juliet, everybody knows the ending." Poppy giggled quietly so she wouldn’t disturb the audience. "I have something I must do." She gave him a hug and excused herself, walking up the steps out of the mushroom theater._

_“Is it him, again?” Creek followed her and took her hands, making her stop. She had already picked a small wrapped gift from her hair and blushed when he saw it. “Will you ever accept that Branch is an outcast? He doesn’t care about anybody else. He doesn’t want to come out of the bunker.”_

_Poppy gave him a humorless smile. She knew that, but she wasn’t asking him to come out, she merely wanted to give him a birthday gift, a card and once again, to offer him her friendship. Everyone needed someone to talk to and he didn’t have anyone…_

_Her lips silently moved, not having the right words to deny or to contest what her friend was telling her. They stood there for a while, under a cloudy sky and chilly wind. The theater’s door opened and Gia walked outside with her arms hooked with Aspen’s. Her radiant smile and her stunningly red dress made Poppy’s vibe shift from shame to intense dislike. Creek immediately caught the atmosphere and let go of her hands._

_“All right.” He said, making Poppy’s attention turn to himself. “If it pleases you to go after Branch then I won’t stop you. Just keep in your mind that he doesn’t like you.”_

_“Thank you for understanding!” She hugged her friend, who returned the gesture and gave her a small pat on the back. Without another word, she happily made her way to the bunker._

_She knocked on the trapdoor, but of course, he didn’t answer her. Not even a ‘go away’ was shouted this time. Maybe he was expecting her yearly intrusion so he left… Oh well, it’s not like she was expecting him to open the door and welcome her inside, right? He had never let anyone see how he lived._

_Poppy arranged the card and the gift on the floor, one on top of the other, so the wind wouldn’t send it flying away. Sighing, she sat down and waited for a while, hoping to see him._

_“Why, thank you Poppy, you’re a great friend.” She tried to mimic his voice, foolishly. “Oh, you’re welcome Branch. I’ve always wanted to be your friend!” She said back in her normal voice. “I’ve always wanted to be your friend, too!” “Yay!”_

_She ended up laughing at herself, lying down on the floor and holding her belly that started hurting from the fit of giggles. The wind blew her bang in her eyes and she brushed them away. The dark clouds passed in the dark sky. The last hug time tinkled and she sat up, waiting for the trapdoor to open just in time for her to forcefully hug him._

_But, of course it didn’t. Everything remained exactly the way it was: dark and silent. When hug time was over, she stood up and straightened her dress back in place. Another birthday when she didn’t see him, but she’d never give up. Less enthusiastically, she turned around and returned to her pod._

_Poppy didn’t see that as soon as she was out of sight, the trapdoor opened and Branch stepped outside, taking the gift in his hands with a small smile. Once again, he looked at the bush she had disappeared to before opening it. His heart leaped in an unfamiliar and quick burst of joy. It was a book about traps and hazardous critters. He was completely taken aback by it. Once again, she had nailed the gift and, feeling positive, he opened the card… and he completely forgot to shield himself from the glitter explosion._

_***_

_“Oh, Gia, thank goodness I found you!” Creek caught up with the glitter troll before she made it to the childcare pod that morning._

_"Good morning." She smiled in her sweet and caring way, which was rare those days when the babies started teething all at the same time. "Can I help you?"_

_"Yes, baby Violet is missing! Her mother is worried sick."_

_"Oh my goodness… poor Violet." The rose glitter troll looked frightened at the thought of a lost baby. Perfect._

_"I was told she comes out when she hears you, could you help us find her?"_

_"Of course!" Gia turned her back to the childcare pod, knowing that the other girls would be fine on their own with dozens of babies. "Where was she last seen?"_

_"That’s the problem. We figure she might have fallen into one of the bunker's entrances."_

_Creek didn’t think himself as a bad guy at all, but he knew he had the power to correct things that weren't going as they were supposed to. King Peppy himself had trusted him with the task of disciplining the princess’s interests. He saw himself as a tutor, a guru and he also hoped to be looked as more than a friend one day._

_And that could be the first step he needed to take in that direction._

_It was Taco Tuesday and, as she did weekly, Poppy would be walking down to the bunker with an invitation not long after breakfast. So Creek waited for the right time to act. He led Gia to the bunker and, with her different kind of knock, Branch peeked outside and saw the stressed girl begging for him to let her in._

_"You can come inside, but I assure you if a baby had fallen in here I would have seen it." Branch said as she gingerly went inside, surprised to see the display of civility coming from the grumpy troll. Of course, Creek waited in the nearest bush to see how things would play out._

_An excited whistle came from a bush from behind the rock next to the trapdoor. Poppy came out with her usual happy attitude and placed the invitation on the ground, like she strategically would so Branch wouldn’t miss it when opening the door. Only, this time, as she bent down, the trap door opened and her smile seemed to widen itself in slow motion. Her heart leaped in anticipation but it came to a halt the moment later. The light bubblegum pink hair that came out of the bunker was immediately recognized and Poppy felt her knees hitting the floor._

_“I told you so…” Branch came right behind Gia with a softer voice than the princess was used to hearing. The world seemed to spin around her._

_“Hey, Poppy, didn’t see you there.” Gia offered her a hand and she took it - why did she take it? - and stood up on wobbly legs. “See you around.”_

_And the next moments seemed to pass in a blur. Branch saw her growing paler and breaking down in cold sweat. He actually stepped out of the bunker to check if she had a sudden drop of blood pressure, but she took a step back, raising her arms as if preventing him from having any kind of contact with her._

_“I’m great.” She took another step when she couldn’t recognize her own voice. It was raspy and shocked and squeaky at the same time. He saw the invitation on the floor and reached for it. The confused princess took that moment to flee, not knowing how tears came down so quickly or why she had a frozen smile on her face, like it was the best mask she could wear to prevent herself from falling apart completely._

_“I see you had a lady in your bunker, Branch.” Creek couldn’t resist the teasing. They had a long history of bickering since school. The guru was proud to know he had played his part in the grumpy troll’s dropout. He saved his classmates from the nuisance of bad vibes._

_“I don’t owe you an explanation.” Branch frowned in his usual way, then pushed down the lever, taking the invitation with him down to his secure and solitary lair._

_The guru wasted no time in finding the princess. He knew she was in her pod, scrapbooking, sniffing, feeling rejected and holding all the confusion inside like a bubble that was ready to burst any minute. He really admired the job he had done then. She looked completely peaceful when he entered the door. She was scrapbooking, like the good stress-reliever it was, but it was obvious she was concentrating on the bright side and turning off the bad feelings._

_“Hello.” He pretended he didn’t know what was going on. “I came to check on you.”_

_“I’m fine.” She replied with a frozen smile. The only sign that she wasn’t as great as she claimed was the slight tremble in her hands while she used the scissors to cut down a character. “Actually, more than fine.” He saw the shaking getting worse, “I’ve just realized that… I may not be able to help everyone around the village.”_

_“Oh, I thought that was your goal.” He indulged her to keep talking and sat down next to her, quietly watching._

_“Well, yes, it is.” She continued with her eyes completely refusing to make contact with him. “I really think everyone deserves a chance to be happy.”_

_‘This is why I’ll keep inviting Branch to every event around the village.’ she added mentally. “...and sometimes they just need someone to help them see the happiness inside.” It wasn’t the answer Creek wanted, “Even if that someone isn’t me.”_

_There, he did it. Poppy was completely letting go. Now he could concentrate in helping her with what really mattered: being a better version of herself… and…_

_“You’ve taken another step into enlightenment.” He smiled and boop-ed her nose, making her give him a small smile and boop him back._

_It was only a couple of years later that Creek would understand that he couldn’t make someone fall in love. He was the bestest of friends, he was present all the time, he helped her, he looked after her, but all he could accomplish was to sparkle a tepid bubble of admiration, of friendship and loyalty. Perhaps the feeling was a bit more intense than the one she shared with her friends, but it couldn’t scratch the undying love she felt for Branch - even if she didn’t realize what it was._

***

Branch sat down and studied the marks in red and all the possible turns he could take that would guide them to a safer path. It was lunch time and he and Poppy had just eaten their first wrapped meal and were taking a few minutes to rest before resuming their walk.

It was a big problem that they didn’t use critters back in the days they travelled. They had to be discreet because of the Bergens and the whole trip was made on foot. The King and his loyal general had marked the path to the Moon Island by carving arrows in trees and so, if they wanted to make sure they didn’t go the wrong way, they had to make the journey on foot as well. The trip was going to take longer than it was necessary.

He turned his eyes to his girlfriend. She was laying on the grass with her ankles crossed and her hands behind her head, enjoying the sun and the feeling of the grass against her skin. She looked so incredibly peaceful that he felt an uncontrollable urge to join her.

There were days he couldn’t believe he was dating her. Her pink skin was so flawless and he felt like touching it all the time. He laid on his side, watching her while she breathed softly with her eyes closed. He couldn’t tell if she was awake or sleeping. But he didn’t care for a moment; he lifted his hand and traced the long line from her shoulders to her hand, going up with a light touch of the tip of his finger and resumed his exploration from her forehead, down to her nose, to her cheeks and stopping at her lips, watching closely as they beautifully stretched under his finger, opening a bright and lazy smile.

“If you’re trying to tickle me, that’s not how it’s done.” She opened her eyes and turned to her side so she was facing him.

“I’m memorizing you.” Branch said and her smile faltered a little. He kissed her hand before explaining himself. “It’s just that sometimes I think this is all a dream.”

“You are a smooth talker.” She giggled and he smiled in return. She pushed herself off the ground and sat up, looking around to the big and tall trees that sheltered them.

They were planning to stay on the road for a week. Three days to get to the Moon Island, two days to explore the place and two days to get back home. She was worried about the amount of time she’d be away from the village, especially with the new arrangements between the tribes with the exchange students.

The events of Barb’s world tour were still too recent for her to leave, but it was important to Branch. She had wanted him to count on her for such a long time that there was no way she was going to refuse to help him with this.

“Hey.” He sat next to her and this time he looked serious. “You should have told me.”

“About what?” She shook her head in confusion. She should have told him so many things and at the same time she felt like keeping them all in secret because they weren’t relevant anymore.

“About the pill.” They matched each other in redness. Their cheeks colored at the same time and their eyes avoided each other for a moment.

“I was planning to. I’m sorry I didn’t.” What else could she say that wouldn’t make her die of embarrassment?

“I didn’t know you were… considering it…” This was an awkward conversation and somehow it wasn’t supposed to be.

“Branch, look…” She took his hands, “... I’m just playing safe. I don’t want to rush things.”

“Right…” His answer was quiet, followed by a few mental nods and a long search in her eyes for reassurance of her words. “We better go.”

Poppy felt like she had explained it the wrong way, but there wasn’t a more honest truth. She had to follow what was expected: as soon as the Queen starts a relationship, there must be precautions; it was written on chapter two, item twenty eight of her Medical Protocol. She couldn’t show up with an egg - as her father put it - without being married.

Her things were neatly arranged inside her backpack and she refilled her canteen from the small river they were following. It was so magnificently refreshing knowing it was coming down straight from the mountains.

“Give me your canteen so I can refill it.” She called, but her boyfriend remained silent, looking at a tall tree right in front of him. “Branch?” Poppy called again, walking closer so she would lightly touch his arm to reassure him that everything was fine.

His eyes were fixed on the bark with his hand feeling its texture. Poppy was about to ask if he was feeling okay, when she noticed a small mark next to his fingers. It was a carved arrow with the letter P next to it. The letter had no similarities at all to her father’s handwriting so she could only assume…

“Pine…”

“My dad was here…”

It occurred to him, when he was grabbing his tools and safety gizmos to put in his bag that he was going to come across things about his father, and he would see and stand in places the old man had seen and stood. He felt incredibly close to his origin, like he wasn't adrift in the open sea, like he could actually find a port and anchor.

And now that he was actually facing something that had been written many years ago, it felt real. He felt Poppy’s hand on his shoulder. It felt warm, familiar… and the way she was smiling at him, he saw nothing but a supportive and understanding girlfriend who was now on a journey against her better judgement just to give him love.

He was crossing a bridge between past and future. She was there with him.

An overwhelming joy flew past him when her strawberry scent was breathed in. She had the power to make him mindless since they were younger. He was so grateful that she was there - that she had always been there - right by his side that he had to show her just how much it meant to him.

With a quick movement, he leaned forward and crushed his lips on hers in a fiery kiss. She was surprised at first, but he felt her eyes closing by the way her eyelashes brushed his skin. He felt her exhaling through her nose and held her cheeks in a gentle caress.

As he explored the softness and the taste of her lips, he was aware that she tensed up, feeling her arms go stiff as if she didn’t know what to do with them. He continued to slide his mouth over hers, wanting to deepen the kiss like the books described it, but he clearly had to stop because she wasn’t comfortable.

"Let’s go." He gave her one final quick kiss before standing back and marching in front of her. “I think we can make it to the river before it gets dark.”

If he was disappointed that she didn’t return the kiss, he didn’t show it. He was too much of a gentletroll to press the subject, but she knew eventually she had to battle the ghost of her past experiences so she could open the way to have new ones. She had to remind herself that she was too young then, that she didn’t want to kiss Creek in the first place, she barely knew him and she was pressured by her friends.

With Branch it would be different… She was there by choice. She loved him dearly and she had fantasized about kissing him like in the fairy tales so many times that there was no way it would be disappointing.

With a quiet giggle, she ran after him, grabbing his hand and intertwining their fingers in a loving display of trust. He looked down at her with a funny look, but she didn’t have to answer; all she had to do was to hold his arm against her so they could walk together as close as possible.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let's unleash the smooches! Thank you everyone for reading and commenting. It has been a crazy week and I'm grateful for all the love <3


	8. Nightmares

Poppy hid behind a tree and put on the bikini Branch vaguely remembered seeing before. She collected a plastic bag with soap, shampoo, conditioner and a couple of bottles he had no idea what were for. He turned to the fire and added some more wood to make sure it wouldn’t die and leave their dinner uncooked. 

“Oh, frosting!” He smirked and looked back at her. He tried to warn her about how cold the water was supposed to be, but she refused to go eat and sleep dirty. He really thought that once she felt the temperature she would just wash up quickly and get out, but even with clattering teeth, she followed the whole ritual of shampooing her hair, then rinsing and moving to the next steps which he watched in amusement. “Are you enjoying yourself?” Poppy asked him in irritation. 

“Yeah, as a matter of fact, I am.” He laughed, seeing her curse a few more times. The pans were placed by the fire so he put the food in to start cooking. 

“Come and join me,” She grinned and Branch shook his head. There was no way he would be caught in that cold water. “You’re covered in mud and you stink, Branch. Get in the water.” The command was tempting, or the fact that she implied that he wasn’t very snuggly at the moment had worked its magic, and soon, he found himself undressing and jumping in the water to splash her as much as he could. 

He didn’t expect the water to be freezing, though. 

“This is torture!” He exclaimed, swimming back to get out as quickly as possible. 

“Since you’re here…” her voice sounded like dripping honey and he gulped, feeling his jaw start to shake. Poppy wasn’t cold anymore, instead, as she swam closer, she seemed so used to the temperature that, for a moment, he felt he had forgotten he was trying to get away in the first place, “you’re welcome.” She gave him her soap and dunked to rinse off the excess of conditioner. 

Her hair floated around her in hypnotic motions. He mindlessly washed himself, but his eyes couldn’t leave her. She looked like a mermaid, an ethereal being that had become one with the water, shut down in her own world, allowing the stream to carry her far from the shore, with a content smile on her lips. 

He was sure that the whole thing about the Moon Island was true. There was something magical about her coming to the surface - perhaps it was the growing love he felt for her - he had never seen a troll look so mystical before. 

His face was splashed and a giggle was heard. 

“Have you frozen your brain, yet?” She joked, collecting the bottles and swimming back to take them out. “Oh dear…” She was kneeling down looking for something inside her backpack. “I forgot the towels.” 

He didn’t think about getting any, either, which was a big mistake since the wind seemed to make it even colder outside the water. They were lucky there was still a little sunlight and so, without need for words, they sat together to warm up. He observed her skin was covered in droplets of water, the transparency mixed with her pink color forming a miniature rainbow as the light went through. 

She was cold, but she felt peaceful. She felt her hair dripping down her back and on her face and she hugged her knees, closing her eyes. The warmth that the sun provided slowly dried her body and it felt so bright from behind her closed eyelids… then the light was briefly blocked and she felt a small wet, and tentative touch on her cheek. 

“What are you doing?” She whispered, still with her eyes closed, but with a curious smile. 

“I’m thirsty.” Branch couldn’t believe how forward he sounded, if her eyes were open he knew he would see them rolling at his words… but the thought of it only encouraged him to lean forward again. “And you’re all wet…” 

With a shaky breath she remained steady as he kissed each droplet, drinking them as if he were dehydrating in the desert. 

She felt something different rising with his sweet touch, like she was going to die if she didn’t place her hands on him. Her heart was pounding so hard against her ribcage that she could fly into his arms and kiss him. 

Yes, kiss! She wanted to kiss him. He was making her crave for it, inflating her senses like a balloon that would soon burst if he continued with his ministrations. She had never felt a need so intense before and it connected the dots, bringing her to the sweetest realization that it was the feeling that had always been missing. It was the overwhelming love that could be found only in him. 

The fire cracked loudly and both opened their eyes, startled. Their food was ready and if they took longer it would burn. He smiled guiltily before busying himself with their dinner. The bowls, the juice, the spoons… yep, he had got everything ready and the pan was already out of the fire. Poppy took the opportunity to dress up and hang her bikini so it would dry. He also changed to dry shorts and felt incredibly clean and refreshed.

“Do you want to pay a visit to Barb when we cross her land?” Poppy sat down by his side, picking up her vegetable soup to blow it before eating. 

“I think the less people know about our quest, the better.” 

Always prepared. He wouldn’t allow himself to fully relax before they were back home. It was true that in the end everybody turned out to be friends and party buddies, but still, there was no need to alert everyone that Pop Village was temporarily without their Queen. 

“C’mon, Braaanch…” She stretched the ‘a’ with a whiny voice, already knowing it was a nice trick to soften him up. “I hear her parties are the best.”

“Have you forgotten that a few weeks ago she got me drunk?”

“Well…” How could she forget? It was hell and heaven on the same night. “You don’t have to drink. I’ll watch out for you.” 

“Poppy, we can’t go. She’ll ask questions and I don’t want to talk about the Moon Island.” He insisted. It was going to be hard to convince his girlfriend to skip the part of their journey that she was mostly looking forward to. 

“Oh, fine… it’s your adventure, I’m just your sidekick this time.” She raised her shoulders, brushing the importance of her role off as if he would do fine without her. But… at least… she was listening to him, and he was glad for it. 

***

_Branch was so angry at Creek. He watched, day after day, as the guru molded Poppy into someone extra cheerful, loud, annoying - and the complete opposite of what a princess should be. The worry about Bergen attacks was completely in the past for her, as it was for the other citizens._

_He had to warn the princess that she was being manipulated, but again, she was under the impression she was being educated to one day take her role as Queen. Since the accident with Gia in his bunker, Poppy seemed to avoid crossing paths with him. He knew how she had followed him around since childhood, like he was a future friend, or a social project. It didn’t make it easier for him to gather the courage and seek her out himself._

_So, that afternoon he left the safety of his bunker while the sun was still bright in the sky, exposing himself to unknown dangers, to pretend to collect firewood and approach the princess when she was by herself._

_He didn’t count on seeing her with Creek in a deserted part of the forest. The area where he had written repeated warnings all over the trees that an adult Cuddle Pup had made a nest to have her babies. Branch cursed under his breath and kneeled down to hide behind a bush, preparing to help them if necessary._

_“This is a perfect place to communicate with nature, Poppy.” Creek said, sitting down next to the princess in a lotus position. “Breath in and out… feel the vibe.... Become one with the trees and critters…”_

_Branch rolled his eyes at the stupidly of it all. What was the point of trying to ‘become one’ with nature? Were the critters going to back vocalize her songs or something? It was going to take a long time for them to get out of the danger zone… And Creek seemed to be taking an extra long focus on breathing._

_Narrowing his eyes, Branch saw when the Guru opened his eyes, looking at the princess from her toes to the top of her hair. He kneeled up, getting too close to be comfortable for Poppy - and yet she still remained with her eyes closed, concentrating on his words! If any proof was needed that Creek was a manipulative jerk it was displayed right in front of him._

_His hand was hovering just above the nape of her neck - Branch could foresee his next move - he was going to pull her in for a surprise kiss. The survivalist couldn’t be quiet anymore. He stood, preparing himself to jump between them, to break Creek’s nose, if necessary, with a fighting instinct that rarely made itself known._

_But just then, a rustling in the bushes confirmed Branch’s fears. The mother Cuddle Pop emerged, growling in irritation and Creek immediately stood up, discreetly poking Poppy so she would open her eyes. They walked backwards, staring at the predator in horror, completely helpless and fatally backing towards a wall of stone. There was no way out._

_Branch knew he was going to regret what he did next, but he couldn’t let the princess get hurt. He was already livid with Creek, he just had to redirect his anger to a more effective target. He did the craziest thing he had ever done: he jumped in the nest and grabbed a puppy. The mother immediately turned around, seeing that her babies had been disturbed._

_Poppy didn’t see him, neither did Creek. As soon as the mother got distracted, they ran as fast as they could._

_Breathing in relief, Branch put the puppy down and got ready to get out of there as well, but he forgot about the thorns in the tail of the predator, and a very angry mother struck him fully on the back, sending him flying forward with a blinding pain._

_He remembered the smell of blood and the pulsing gash on his side. He was vaguely aware of orange feet approaching him in a hurry. He blinked a few times, fighting to stay awake. The pain was so intense he felt that passing out was the best thing that could happen to him… and so he didn’t fight it._

_The blur of lights and hurried whispers were the first things he noticed as his senses came back to him one by one. He was completely numb and was being held on his side by a troll dressed as a nurse._

_“What…?” He managed to ask in a dry voice. He noticed then how thirsty he was._

_“Hold still, boy… “ Dr. Moonbloom’s voice came from behind him and then he noticed there was a tugging feeling on his back. It didn’t hurt, but he felt her touching his numb skin. “I need to finish the stitches before the anesthesia runs out.”_

_“If it starts to hurt, you tell us,” the nurse said, still holding him down._

_“You’re lucky King Peppy found you in time. You’d be Cuddle Pup dinner by now.” Another nurse entered the room with a bag of blood and needles. They didn’t talk anymore, but Branch knew it was for him. He felt weak, a classic symptom of blood loss… and his head was buzzing._

_He refused to stay in the hospital more than necessary. As soon as he could walk again, he stood and walked back to his bunker, feeling the stitches pulling his swollen skin as he walked. He didn’t care about the warnings that he wasn’t good to go, yet, he refused to stay the night in a vulnerable place._

_Branch never figured out if King Peppy told Poppy about his injuries. She never showed up with a ‘get well soon’ scrapbook-ed card or anything like that. In fact, she didn’t appear for several weeks and it was only when he was well enough to go out again that he heard her singing and dancing to invite everyone to the 20th Anniversary of their freedom._

_That girl was going to be a very disappointing Queen..._

***

Branch sat up with a gasp, drenched in sweat, looking around in fright. He was in the middle of the forest. The fire was still going strong and there weren't any sounds that indicated a predator anywhere. 

But he could hear it. 

His nightmares were getting less frequent, but his grandma’s screams still haunted his silent hours and the horrors his awakened mind completed in the events that followed were equally disturbing. 

“Branch…?” He felt Poppy shifting from her sleeping bag, moving closer so she could place a gentle hand on his back. “Are you okay?”

The dreams caused a shame like no other. It was ridiculous how someone as rational as he was could be scared and tricked by his own mind. He felt exposed in the worst of times, when he was supposed to be the strong one on the road, to protect the Queen. 

Hair… the screams had been so real this time… 

“Do you have them often?” Poppy slowly asked, startling him. It was obvious what had happened then… as his heart returned to its normal pace and his body dried in the cold night air, he noticed that she was determined to talk it through. 

“It’s… they’re not a regular thing anymore. They rarely get this intense.” He exhaled angrily, avoiding her eyes because it would kill him if saw her giving him a condescending look. 

“I guess they’re bound to show up during this trip...” She whispered, wrapping her arms around his neck and caressing his hair softly until she felt him relax under her touch. “It takes a lot of courage to look into the past.” 

He didn’t say anything, just hugged back. He kept wondering if his father had his weakness as well and if they ever stopped him from accomplishing a mission with his King. The way Poppy’s dad described it, the guy was a rock. 

Poppy shivered and he noticed her skin had dropped a degree or two from being out of her warm sleeping bag, but he wasn’t ready to stop hugging her. If she went back to lay several feet from him, he felt he was going to fall in a dark abyss once again. So he opened the zipper with one hand and pulled her inside, closing it back up so she was still oddly sitting next to him, but warm. 

“Do you mind if I ask what you dream about?” Her voice was just above a whisper and he felt her shifting, tangling her legs with his to sit in a more comfortable position. 

“I don’t mind talking about it…” He replied, noticing that it was the first time he would open up about the nightmares. Nobody ever knew about them. Branch moved his hand to touch her hair, combing it with his fingers and noticed how soothing the act was. Her pink locks were the most mesmerizing thing when they were down. “It’s that day when I lost my grandma… it replays in endless loops.”

Her arms tensed and the hug got tighter. He was completely aware that her cheek was squashed against his. 

“You do realize it wasn't your fault, right?” Poppy said. “You were just a child.”

“If I wasn’t singing…”

“Chef studied us, she observed and took notes. She would have acted anyway. Stop punishing yourself.” 

He had repeated that speech to himself several times. His rational mind recalled those facts every time he was on the edge of despair and, at the same time, it calmed his nerves about what he had witnessed, it twisted the reality and attacked him in a whole new place with vivid fabricated memories. 

“The sound is disturbing.” He choked out, not being able to control the sobs anymore. He didn’t remember last time he cried like that. “I can’t avoid thinking… about the sound… when a Bergen was chewing…” He knew he was wetting her cheeks, but she never moved away, instead, she only seemed to grow stronger, to hold him tighter, to be the one he needed at that moment. 

He was exhausted. He ached from his feet to his ears. His body felt like it was disintegrating from lack of proper breathing. She noticed it and helped him down, lying next to him with her head pillowed on his chest. His hands ran up and down her arms, as if he was the one calming her down. 

She had never seen him so vulnerable before and there were no words she could say that would ease the emotional pain he was in. He had to crawl out of the darkness of his own mind by himself. All she could do was to show him he wasn’t alone. 

“You know… if I could, I would erase a lot of memories.” His sobs quieted down, so he could listen to her like she was his path back to the light. “But I’m weak and that would be the easy way out. Now you, Branch… I can’t think of a stronger person. Any other troll would have gone mad, but here you are, battling it and winning.” 

“What memories do you want erased?” he asked, finding a way to stop spiraling in his own agony by focusing on something else. 

“Just memories that made me afraid of some things…” She felt like the conversation was starting to take an uncomfortable turn for her.

“You? Poppy? Afraid?!” His voice was almost back to normal and she cheered inside. “You laugh at the face of danger. Especially if I’m with you.”

“Thank goodness you’re with me most of the time…” She giggled softly, closing her eyes to enjoy the sound of the beating of his heart. 

“Poppy…?” He had his eyes opened, staring quietly at the sky while she snuggled close to stop fighting the sleep that was coming back. 

“What?” she whispered.

“Which memories?” He insisted, feeling his protective instincts kicking in. He didn’t think she had one bad moment in her life. She had grown up in a controlled environment, with all her needs being taken care of, there was no way she could have gone through something worse than her hair jitsu training… unless it was specifically that that she wanted erased. 

“Promise me you won’t hate me if I tell you?” Her head lifted and her big pink eyes found his in a pledging gaze. He had never seen her battling her feelings like this. It was like she wanted to push them back under the surface, but needed to show it at the same time. 

“Jeez… Poppy, what is it?” 

“I’ve envied Gia for such a long time.” She burst out in tears, feeling like the worst of sinners, confusing Branch beyond words. For a moment, he thought she was going to confess she had killed someone.. It wasn’t possible that she felt that a disinclination could be so crushing. “Everybody loved her and her grades were excellent and… you know… she didn’t make an effort to be perfect. She simply _was_.” 

“Poppy, everybody envies someone at some point in their lives.” Branch tried to soothe her, feeling that it was almost taking a turn into comedy. He successfully was over his nightmares then. Barely, breathing, she continued her rant as if she wasn’t listening to him at all.

“And every boy wanted to kiss her and I was so sad that nobody wanted me…” 

Now he could see where this was going, even with the surprising revelation that she thought nobody wanted her. 

“And Creek showed interest and I thought that it was my chance. And it was so horrible I thought there was something wrong with me.”

“Wait, your chance?” Well, whatever her plan had been to make him forget his nightmare, it worked out perfectly because he completely forgot about it as the absurdity of her words continued to flow out of her mouth. 

“Yes, everybody was talking about it and I had to do something.” 

“You’re saying… your first kiss was a royal duty? With Creek?” So the rumors had been true...

“Do you hate me?” Her desperation was sort of adorable. It didn’t favor his feelings for the arrogant guru in any way, but still, he found comfort in knowing that she had never liked him in the first place. 

“No… quite the opposite.” Branch wiped a tear on her cheek with his thumb and her lips timidly curved into a half smile. Silently he traced his finger over her lip, thinking about what she had said. That it made her afraid of things… well… if she was afraid that her kiss would be disappointing, she was so very wrong. 

He lifted his head just enough to surprise her with his mouth covering hers. He felt her tensing up and his suspicion was confirmed. Wrapping his arms around her waist he pulled her down on top of him so she could feel free to leave and return to her sleeping bag any time she wanted. His hands caressed the length of her back, going all the way up to play with her hair. It made her tremble and gasp. He took the opportunity to slide his tongue past her lips, touching hers while never stopping the sweet embrace. 

Pretending he didn’t feel her startled eyes widening mere millimeters away from his closed ones, he retreated, resuming the tugging and brushing of lips. Warm shivers ran down his spine when he felt her giving in, closing her eyes and simply trusting that they were learning together and there was nothing wrong with her. His heart leaped in a happy victory dance when he felt her lips parting, inviting him inside once more. 

The first time she moaned in delight was like he had found a small treasure. She felt his smile and ended up smiling as well, ending their kiss with silly and satisfied grins. Falling on his side, she circled an arm across his chest using it as a pillow at the same time. It was funny how she fit perfectly in there, like the shape of his body was designed to mold hers. 

Poppy didn’t want to go back to her sleeping bag, and he didn’t push her away. 

“We can go to Barb’s party tomorrow night…” Branch said… getting a content muffled sound as response. “...but I won’t drink.”

“I wouldn’t expect you to…” She was almost dozing off, but he had to ask just one more thing. 

“Do you believe in soulmates?”

“I don’t know… I know I’ve always loved you.” She sighed; eyes closed; words barely rolling out right. “I’m sorry I was a pest.”

“I’m sorry I was rude.”

  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Halloween! :)


	9. Fast and Furious Queens

Magenta eyes blinked open lazily. Rays of light streamed down from the trees right in her face, making her groan in frustration. The sun itself made her conscious of the time - it was way past the first Hug Time - but she needed to stop that bothersome light and sneak back to the comfort of her warm pillow and drift into a few more hours of sleep. 

Her pillow, however, seemed to shift as well, making it impossible to comfortably close her eyes in the new position. Poppy adjusted herself against it, turning around so it was on her back. She felt so cosy and she could almost reach dreamland again when she felt hot puffs of breath on her neck. 

At that moment she was completely awake. The events of the night before washed through her rising ambiguous feelings. She had comforted Branch and he had returned the favor. They had kissed and fell asleep in each other’s arms. The recollection was the easiest way to calm her pounding heart. They had fallen asleep tangled in each other before, sure… it had been a quick nap, not a whole night, but still… it wasn’t new, right?

His arms circled her around the waist, his front was almost completely touching her back and it felt so good, so familiar and… hair, she had never felt so protected before. She could stay there forever, swimming in his scent, concentrating on the way his lips were barely touching her neck….. It was such a heavenly feeling… 

But, she needed to pee. Badly. 

So, Strategy Number One was to slip away from him as quietly as she could so he wouldn’t wake up and save them both from the embarrassment. Easy. First, she unzipped the sleeping bag, using half her arm to do it, since the other was securely pinned because of Branch’s own arm holding her. Then she hooked a leg up to slip it through and hold the opening for the other leg. 

Good, she was half free. And she was bursting. Slowly, she lifted her upper arm so she could slip under his while holding it up. A very distracting bicep hardened when she was almost out of the sleeping bag, and she felt him bringing her back against him like she was a teddy bear. Was she doomed? 

Looking above, she saw a tree not far away from them and decided to go for Strategy Number Two. Using her hair, she reached the tree and circled her pink locks firmly around it. Thinking that if she pulled and slipped out of his arms from above, then maybe he wouldn’t protest or wake up. She gripped tightly and pulled, feeling her body slowly moving up and his arms holding tighter, preventing her from going away. It was completely useless. 

She was left with Strategy Number Three which consisted of waking him up and facing the embarrassing situation once for all. 

“Branch…?” 

He muffled a protest against her neck and his hands moved lower. 

“Branch, let me up.”

“Tired…” he said, still holding her. 

“Just lift your arms then…” she squirmed some more, and his hand that had been on her side slipped down on her hip and brought her back to him. That woke him up. 

“What?” he instinctively asked, jolting awake and immediately sitting as far as possible from her. 

“Oof, thanks,” she said, trying to pretend she wasn’t equally shocked... Okay, pee… “I’ll be right back.” 

She left him completely frozen in place, staring at her as she disappeared among the trees. Serves him right to wake up startled, she tried being nice, but he wouldn’t let go, would he? And it was past the time they were supposed to get back on the road, if they wanted to make it to Volcano Rock City before nightfall. 

Briskly, she refreshed herself, splashing the cold water in her face to take the sleep away. Poppy started putting together some scrambled eggs for breakfast. They were going to need their strength for a day of walk laying ahead of them. 

“Branchieeee!” she squealed when she hopped back to where they had set up camp. “I’m cooking some scrambled eg-”

“Poppy, go away!” he growled in frustration, still sitting on his sleeping bag. 

“Are you okay?” She raised an eyebrow suspiciously. He had never said those words, in that tone, after he had regained his colors. 

“Can you just…? - more growls - Okay, turn around.” 

Poppy did what he asked, but crossed her arms stubbornly. She didn’t like it one bit when he ordered her around without giving any explanations. 

She heard him stand up. 

“Scrambled eggs would be lovely, thanks.” And a rustling in the bushes indicated that he had ran off, leaving her by herself in the middle of the camp. 

She shook her head. “What a weird boyfriend.” 

***

_ “I am ready!” Poppy called from above and Branch finished his coffee with one big gulp before going up the elevator to meet her. It was early, they had barely grabbed a wink of sleep, but she said she would help him clean the bunker first thing in the morning, and she kept her word. He had to admit, he had never seen someone look so excited with brooms, mops and plastic trash bags.  _

_ Unbeknownst to him, she was flipping inside with excitement. Finally, after so many years, she was allowed inside the bunker. She wasn’t exactly invited, because she offered to help him, but he didn’t deny her! They had actually connected! _

_ “That amount of happiness first thing in the morning is sort of annoying.” he said, opening the trapdoor and giving into his old usual ways. It was only when he saw her smile faltering that he realized he had gone too far. “But completely inspiring!” he amended, and her toothy grin was back on her face. He sighed, relieved. “Come inside.” _

_ Branch had two buckets and a mop, and he had previously told Poppy he could clean it by himself, but she insisted that hiding everyone in the bunker was her idea, so it was only fair that she helped him put everything back in order.  _

_ Her eyes went from curious to desolate as the elevator went down. Her happiness became guilt and concern when she saw all his jars broken on the floor, his ration stock was down to nothing and glitter was all around the walls and floor. He had been the hero of their adventure and in return he had had his home trashed. The crushing guilt was almost too much for her to take _

_ “So, this is the lounge room…” His eyes fixed for a few seconds on a small curtain on the wall where he hid the invitations Poppy had given him. “... and I’ll be the one cleaning here, so let’s get you in another room.” The kitchen was a much safer place for her to be. There were no hidden secrets there.  _

_ The kitchen was a mess - probably the messiest place in the whole bunker - and it was nearly impossible walking into it without stumbling on a chair, or on silverware scattered on the ground. The drawers had been removed and used as pieces to build up an imaginary castle for the kids.  _

_ “Okay, here I go…” Poppy quietly walked inside. Overlooking the mess, she was surprised at the neat job Branch had done building his home underground. Everything was carved and shaped by hand. It was beautiful. “Where should I put…. everything?” _

_ “Well…” he scratched his head, making his whole hair shake. “I don’t really mind, organize it as you please.”  _

_ “Oh, but this is your home. I mean, do you prefer the silverware on the top drawer or in the middle one? And the pans, do you like them by the stove or in the cupboard…?” _

_ “I just… randomly put things there,” he explained, making Poppy look a bit concerned about his methods. “But like I said, you can do as you please.”  _

_ He left her alone, returning to the lounge room to find a safer place for his secrets. He knew she was going to come in more often. He wanted her to.  _

_ Poppy dove into the task at hand with much enthusiasm. The first thing she did was to get a wet cloth and dust off each drawer before getting them back in place. Strategically noticing the position of the stove, she decided to place the silverware in the first drawer on the right, since Branch was right-handed, it would be easier to reach for something while he was cooking.  _

_ She cleaned each fork, each knife, each spoon. He didn’t have many - after all he never had any guests - and arranged them the best way possible. Then, she moved to the cupboard and cleaned inside, picking up the pieces of glass that had been broken in there. She wanted to do the best job, it was the least she could do for him.  _

_ When she finished cleaning everything, with a broken heart she noticed there wasn’t a single cup left. The kitchen was shining and smelling good; the chairs were arranged around the table; his floor and walls were spotless But she needed to find a cup!  _

_ “Branch! I finished the kitchen,” she called, picking up her cleaning items and moving to the store room. It appeared even messier because it was smaller than the kitchen. While she scrubbed and dusted, she wrote down every item that was missing: chocolate, marshmallows, cookies, brownies… then milk, and fruit… He was right. His rations wouldn’t last two weeks with everyone in there.  _

_ She heard the sound of water flushing, and once she finished aligning the ration jars, she followed the noise until she found him in the bathroom, trying to fix a flooding toilet.  _

_ “Oh frosting…” He cursed under this breath when he saw the water going up after trying the flush again. “Can you turn that counterclockwise?” He pointed at a valve, eyes fixed on the toilet. Poppy did as she was told and the water stopped, blocking the supply line.  _

_ “How do you get water down here?” She saw the wood carved sink and the stone top. It must have taken him ages to get it as it was.  _

_ “I dug deep enough to find a subterranean stream,” he explained, “The cleanest water you’ll ever drink, by the way - then I installed a pumper and the water goes straight to the sinks.” _

_ “Seriously? All by yourself?” Poppy was really impressed. She needed many workers to build a small pipeline from the lagoon to the pods.  _

_ He shrugged, still not looking at her. “I had time.” _

_ “Well, since it seems you’ll be busy for a while, where else can I clean?” She was still excited about helping him. She was tired, but she had energy to go for a couple of hours more.  _

_ “You’ve helped a lot already, Poppy, thanks.” Branch didn’t look up from the toilet that he was unplugging from the ground to see if the problem was in the sewer pipe. The smell wasn’t the best.  _

_ “I’ve cleared my whole agenda to help you… I want to be here,” she protested. “Unless I’m bothering you by staying…” _

_ Normally he was going to say that, yes, he was bothered, that he wanted to be alone to fix the toilet in peace, but somehow, those thoughts didn’t ring true anymore. He wasn’t bothered at all… actually, he was happy that she was there.  _

_ “You can go to the bedroom, then…”  _

_ “Really?!” she squealed happily, making him chuckle at her misplaced vitality. “I’m not going to see anything compromising, am I?” she said, already out of the door. _

_ “You’ll see a lot of leaf vests, brown shorts and white, neatly folded underwear. There’s nothing compromising about that.”  _

_ Actually, he was really proud of his wardrobe organization. What was she expecting? A body under his bed? _

_ Oh Hair, the bed! _

_ Branch cleaned his hands and quickly swung the door open, almost running into her. He saw her standing silently, looking at the bed that she had gifted him years before; still looking like new, with the pillowcase and matching white sheets. He had never shown her how grateful he was to have such comfort. _

_ She was gripping the broom like her life depended on it. He slowly walked around her, noticing that she was just a little smaller than he was. As he tentatively touched her shoulder, she turned to face him with eyes full of unshed tears and a smile so joyful that she looked like someone who had just won a very long battle.  _

_ “Poppy…” he whispered, leaning down and pulling her into the first hug he had initiated, “...thank you.” _

_ It dawned on him that she had been his friend for a long time, even if he hadn’t been hers. He was set on making it up to her. He would go to her parties, he would help her around the village, he would support her through good and bad times… and he would get to know her friends better. If there was something that the whole ‘saving Creek’ thing showed him, it was that they were good friends. They were loyal and fun.  _

_ Somehow it got easier to fix the toilet after that. He put everything back in place and heard Poppy announcing she’d have to go up to ground level for a while, but that she’d be back shortly.  _

_ While she was gone, he looked around to see what was left to do. There wasn’t anything out of place. The kitchen was shining like he had never seen before. His rations were organized and labeled and his wardrobe was smelling clean. Even his socks were folded. He couldn’t believe her! _

_ The elevator started descending and he hurried to meet her. He would have hugged her if she wasn’t holding more boxes than she could carry, having to balance them around so they wouldn’t fall.  _

_ “Careful there,” Branch took the top box as soon as she touched the ground. He noticed he needed a handrail around the elevator. She was clumsy and she was bound to visit more often. He curiously looked at the brown box in his hands. “What’s all this?” _

_ “I’m sorry, I had to hurry before Sky closed the shop.” Poppy put everything down and sat on her ankles, patting the ground next to her so he would join her. _

_ One by one, she opened the boxes and showed him everything she had brought: an extra set of silverware, chocolate, marshmallows, new plates, new sheets… He found himself speechless with each new item she unwrapped.  _

_ “Well, and I saw that they broke all your cups…” Poppy explained, “Sky had run out of glasses and there was only one mug left.” She picked a single mug with different tones of beige and brown, larger on the bottom and thinner on top. “It’s not the most attractive one, but at least you have something to have your coffee in tomorrow. I promise I’ll get a new one as soon-”  _

_ “Poppy!” Branch silenced her with a finger on her lips, staring at the mug like it was the most precious thing he had ever received. “It’s perfect, thank you.” _

_ Of course, the next day she showed up with glasses and more mugs, but that beige surely was his favorite.  _

***

Volcano territory was very different from Pop. Poppy and Branch noticed the difference when they crossed the first lava river, walking over an iron bridge that looked like it had been rebuilt a few times. Some parts of the handrails had melted down and there was a board covering a hole on the floor that looked like it wasn’t going to stay there much longer, longer – it was bright red and melting like molten metal. 

Needless to say, Branch almost freaked out at the unsafety of that bridge. His sharp eyes studied every joint and every screw and the fear that the bridge would collapse any moment made him hold hands with Poppy and run as fast as he could. The bridge didn’t collapse though, and his girlfriend couldn’t help but laugh at his overprotectiveness like she usually did. It was funny - and dangerous - so he ended up joining her. 

According to the map, the City was up north and the way towards Moon Island was east, meaning they would be delayed for several hours just to attend a party. But Branch didn’t protest anymore; after all Poppy was buzzing with excitement for this one small event. What kind of boyfriend he would be if he didn’t make his girl happy, right?

Once, Branch read in a book about the physics of sound that when something moved too fast, the sound would come with delay. It happened with thunder. The light would come and a few moments later the sound of it was heard reverberating through the sky. Well… they didn’t hear the approach of a very fast beetle and both almost got run over by it. Falling back on their butts by the side of the road, they saw a black insect speeding forward and, a second later, the buzzing sound followed as if chasing its source. 

“What was that?” Poppy asked in confusion, just to almost be hit again by two other insects. This time, Branch noticed each bug had a troll on top of it. 

“What the…?” he wondered aloud.

“Poppy! Branch! He-e-eyyy!” 

They heard a familiar voice and turned to see Barb flying on a beetle herself, having commanded it to stop so she could talk to them. “What are you pukebirds doing here?”

“Barb!” Poppy squealed at her grinning friend, who high-fived her. 

“Have you come to see the race?” Barb asked excitedly. 

“What race?” Branch stood up as well, dusting off his clothes. 

“What race?” Barb mimicked his puzzled face, making Poppy giggle at the poor impression of her boyfriend. “Only the coolest, hard-rock, furious, super race of them all, boy-toy.” At that, Poppy stopped giggling. 

“You know… as much I like you, you shouldn’t call him boy-”

“Wanna race, popcorn?” Barb nodded her head excitedly, interrupting the pink queen before she could finish what she was going to say. “It would be maaaaaaaad! A race of two queens! Let’s race, shall we? Hop on!” 

Poppy and Branch exchanged a worried look. It was now that Poppy realised maybe the small detour wasn't the greatest idea. Barb’s hands quickly reached down and grabbed the pop queen by the collar of her dress. Branch didn’t waste any time and also jumped up on the beetle, settling himself securely behind Poppy so she wouldn’t fall. 

“I gotta make an announcement!” Barb gave a kick to the insect under her, which roared to life like it had an exhaust system. “With the two of us racing, we’ll raise double the funds this year!”

“Wait, funds?” Poppy asked, holding tightly onto Barb as they took off. TThis beetle was crazy fast.. 

“For the stray trolls in the rehab center.” Branch heard Barb saying and leaned forward to pay close attention. “You know how we rage around the lands… if we come across a wanderer; we invite them to come over. Someday I’ll show you the center. It’s really cool.” 

The knowledge that Barb did charity didn’t sound as strange as it would have during the world tour. The Hard Rock Queen, desperate to make her music the dominant one, initially appeared as the vicious troll they thought she was , but as soon as they learned that she was just seeking her dad’s approval, they realised she wasn’t so different after all. 

With the fast beetle it took them less than twenty minutes to get to the heart of the land. The City was built around the Volcano, with small buildings, houses and stores that fueled their economy with discrete trades. Apparently; the biggest hit was a comic store that had some hard rocker geeks lined up in front to get inside. 

“If you had come last week you'd have seen the coolest air guitar competition.” Barb laughed, landing her bug in the middle of a dark dusty road. It seemed that the sun didn’t shine as bright in the city as other places. The thin smoke of the vulcan covered the sky, creating a grayish atmosphere. 

Barb jumped down and Branch carefully slid out of the beetle, raising his arms to catch Poppy on her way down. 

“Okay, you two are tooth-rotting sweet, but Popsqueak, you’re staying on the beetle,” Barb announced, crossing her arms after whistling loudly. “You need to learn how to fly it properly.”

Riff came out of a door with an oversized jumpsuit uniform and with water and some food for the beetle. The building he came out from looked like three metallic containers put together, with roll up doors and several tools hanging on the walls inside. It was the perfect pit stop box for beetles. 

“Yo!” he said to Branch who replied a puzzled ‘’S’up’ in return. 

“So, man,” Barb called to Riff, “would you mind showing Branch around? I need to get Popcorn prepared to race!”

“Wait, you girls are racing tonight?” Riff lifted his hat so he could see Barb’s face properly. 

“Yeah! Spread the word!” 

So, with a longing look, Branch watched his Queen hesitantly taking off on the black insect, with Barb laughing excitedly behind her. It was true that she had learned how to pilot those kinds of bugs before, but racing? A real race with an audience and everything? He started feeling uneasy about her safety. When she had her competitive streak ignited, Poppy would turn a blind eye to a few scratches. 

. 

“So…” the teal troll followed Riff into the pit stop, looking around at all kinds of gizmos they had. “... they at least wear helmets, right?” 

“Sure, they do!” The drummer pointed at the wall where a helmet was hanging. It was too big to be for a troll. “Those bugs are very expensive.” 

“I mean the  _ pilots _ .” 

Branch felt exasperated. They cared about the insects, but they didn’t seem to give much thought about the trolls riding them. He started taking a good look around. TV monitors showed different angles of the circuit, the finish line seemed to have more than a few cameras aimed at it, and the entrance of the pit stop also had different angles broadcasting on the monitors that could be closely watched.

Riff was welding two pieces of metal together with haphazard sparks flying around. He was using just gloves for it and Branch nearly had a fit. 

“Have you ever heard of protective gear? The light itself can burn your eyes.” Branch could see there were safety helmets and goggles lying around. So obviously Riff wasn’t intent on wearing them.

“They make me sweat.” He didn’t bother looking away from his job until the two parts were completely joined. He tried it on the chest of a stuffed model of the beetle. “Cool.”

“Hm… What are these for?” Branch was impressed with the welding technique, even if the protection wasn’t up to scratch.

“It’s armor for the beetles.” Riff explained, adjusting the metallic plates to see if they were covering the sides completely. “If we cover the different layers of the front skin they fly faster.”

Faster… those things were fast enough to leave someone’s skin behind at the takeoff. Besides… the absurdity of adding weight to a flying animal was just too much for Branch to keep silent. 

“Didn’t nature make the insects aerodynamic enough for you?” Branch queried, a small swell of pride rising in his chest. Maybe he had a very criterios brain and he could help them around a bit…

“Do you have a better idea to protect them during a crash?”

“Well… yeah. As a matter of fact, I do.” 

  
  
  



	10. The Fire Within

It was amazing how fast the bleachers were filled with rock trolls. The news about two racing queens made every hard rocker stop their singing, their books and their chilling to go watch the thrilling competition that was about to start. 

Branch found malfunctioning communicators and spent half an hour fixing them. He was Poppy’s support team… the whole team… so he needed things to work properly. He made sure his girlfriend had a helmet, as well as elbow and knee pads. He completely ignored Riff saying that he was exaggerating, that it wasn’t that dangerous. Well, Branch didn’t care. He had promised to protect her, so he was doing his job. 

The crowd cheered loudly and Branch looked up to the entrance of the circuit where Barb entered, wearing her usual white shirt and black shorts, waving at everybody in her cheerful way. Poppy came right behind her holding her hands up in the typical ‘rock on’ gesture. The crowd screamed even louder and Branch felt the green feeling of jealousy washing over him. Was she supposed to be wearing a ripped shirt, small shorts and fishnets? Was that really necessary? 

The girls high fived and positioned themselves on their beetles, but Branch wasn’t allowing the race to start just yet. 

“Hold on a second!” he yelled, stopping the countdown. 

“What the heck, man?” Barb looked at him in annoyance, but he ignored her, hopping on Poppy’s bug with the safety equipment he had got for her.

“Here,” he plugged the communicator in her ear and covered her face with the helmet, making sure it was fastened securely. 

“Thank you, Branch.” Her voice sounded smooth and cheerful- grateful that he was showing such care for her safety and wellbeing. He kept adjusting the pads and only muttered a ‘no prob’ quickly. He was really anxious about the race and it was making him feel so tense that he barely could speak. 

Just before he jumped from the beetle, Branch felt Poppy’s hand on his arm, stopping him. He looked up to see what was wrong, when she pulled him up for a quick and sweet kiss. He was VERY aware of the crowd screaming at that. 

“Oh… I’m going to puke.” They heard Barb complaining and awkwardly broke apart. 

Branch was vaguely conscious of getting back to his place at the pit stop, feeling lightheaded. That kiss was everything he needed to be reassured that it was going to be a fun event and not a dangerous one. They were there for charity, after all. 

A shooting sound initiated the race. Both Barb and Poppy took off at the same time. The circuit was short and the race was only twenty laps, meaning it shouldn’t take any longer than half an hour to complete. 

Barb, being used to racing her whole life, quickly took the lead, distancing herself from Poppy by a good stretch. Of course, the Pop Queen didn’t like that and on the first turn, instead of slowing down, she sped up, shorting the distance between them. It caused Branch to jump from his chair at her bold - and dangerous - display of competitiveness. 

The bugs buzzed loudly, raising the dust from the ground as they flew by. The second turn had a more acute angle, so it was impossible not to slow down. The shiny metallic armor of Poppy’s beetle got slightly out of place, but no one except from Branch noticed it. 

“Do you copy, Poppy?” he called urgently. 

“Yes, what is it?” she yelled, having a hard time speaking while the wind was hitting her face so hard. 

“Your beetle’s armor is falling on the side. Watch out for the right turns. At the tenth lap I need you to come to the pit stop to get it fixed,” he explained. 

She didn’t like what he said. Going to the pit stop meant to fall behind. She wasn’t going to be beaten. To lose by a few seconds was okay, but she wasn't ready to accept the humiliation. So Poppy threw caution to the air and sped up once again. 

The distance between Barb and her was shortening, and the Rock Queen was too busy waving to everyone to notice. Poppy saw her chance. At the next turn to the left, Poppy flew past Barb, gaining speed as the track straightened out. 

Poppy entered the third lap with much more confidence. The turns were familiar already and she knew exactly when to speed up and when to hold the beetle tighter. The buzzing from Barb’s beetle was getting louder behind her and Poppy’s stomped her beetle for more speed to avoid losing the lead position. Branch saw the Rock Queen’s expression growing angry at the distance Poppy was pulling. Well… it wouldn’t look good if she lost at her own game… 

Two more laps and Poppy noticed the distance between them was growing and she cheered inside. It was going to be safe to stop to get her beetle fixed for a few seconds. There was something different about her bug, that was for certain. It seemed to be able to gain speed easier than Barb’s. She had a feeling Branch had something to do with it. 

“It is the best race I’ve ever seen!” Riff said with his eyes fixed on the monitor above their heads back at the pitstop shed. “You were right, man. Poppy’s beetle  _ is _ lighter that way.”

While the speed performance was perfect, Branch couldn’t say the same about the safety. Shocked, Branch saw as the armor on the beetle fell open, flapping heavily with the wind and turning upwards, dangerously threatening to come apart and hit Poppy straight in the head. He had made sure he had welded it right, how come the thing just got detached out of nowhere?

“Poppy, stop now. Come straight to the pit stop.” 

“I need to get more distance between us.” 

“GET. HERE. NOW.” 

Silence followed with an excruciating pause. Branch felt his heart beating wildly with the uncertainty about yelling at her. His command was clear… and loud. Very. Very loud. He pondered his attitude and how she would react to it. She was always in control, as Queen she wasn’t ordered around and she was stubborn and thick headed to boot. Oh Hair, was yelling the right approach? Was she going to disobey him just to prove he couldn’t make her do anything she didn’t want to?

Finally, she spoke. “Fine, I’m coming down.” Her squeaky voice almost went unnoticed as he drowned in his own anxious thoughts. Exhaling hard in relief, he moved to meet her at the entrance. Riff got ready to help him. After all, even if he was Team Barb, they didn’t want any accidents. 

Branch couldn’t help but feel guilty seeing her downtrodden expression as she pulled in to stop. He stepped up and handed her a bottle of water, which she accepted silently. He quickly hopped back down to help Riff weld the armor back in place, trying to wave off the obvious tension. Poppy watched the track with itching irritation as Barb zoomed passed the pitstop, gaining the lead once again.

As soon as Riff gave the thumb’s up, Branch pulled himself up next to Poppy again.

“Listen,” he said, getting closer to whisper in her ear. “When you’re ready, press here.” He showed her a clasp in the middle of the beetle’s back. “use it on the last lap; the armor will come off and you’ll fly like the wind.” It was a special little mechanism he thought would come in handy. Poppy gave a small smile at his ingenuity and nodded.

Wasting no more time, Branch jumped down as Poppy took off again. He had to admit, races were fun, especially if he was the one working with the crew, inventing gadgets to help. His knowledge could be useful for games as well, not just for protection. 

Barb sped up, noticing that Poppy was getting closer again as they entered the final lap. It was incredibly fun, the Pop Queen had it in her to pull a good game and Barb could already see the amount of funds that were pouring in. Her mind was already scanning her agenda to schedule another one. 

The finish line was just a few meters away and Poppy knew she wouldn’t be able to catch up with Barb in time, so she looked down and pressed the clasp like Branch had said. It worked perfectly. The armor came off to the sides, safely avoiding where she was standing. She heard the buzz getting louder and the beetle gained speed instantly. 

Barb didn’t see her coming. She was already air guitar-ing her victory when Poppy passed by her side in a very unexpected and thrilling ending.The crowd fell quiet as soon as both girls crossed the final line. They stared at each other filled with uncertainty. Even the queens paused paused, unsure of the final result.

A monitor on the side of the pit stop areas replayed the moment and the girls rushed over to see it. Branch and Riff were already curled down there with their hands on their knees to watch in slow motion what had occurred. 

Barb’s beetle’s head had crossed the finish line, but, at exactly the same point, Poppy’s bug had stretched its antennas and got there at the same time. Oh Hair… it was a tie. 

The rock trolls screamed like their Queen had never heard before. Barb was so happy that she got Poppy in a playful headlock. 

“You race like a pro, Popsqueak!” 

“Argh, you too...!” Poppy spluttered, trying not to choke. Barb only let go when she saw Branch approaching and Poppy could breathe freely again. 

“You got some cool tricks up your sleeve, boy-toy!” She chuckled, hitting him on the arm. “I wouldn’t mind if you were part of my racing team.” 

***

A couple of hours later, at the race after-party, Branch was enthusiastically explaining to a group of rock trolls how the air got into the bug’s wings, and how the metal armor would weigh it down, making the poor thing need to make an extra effort to speed up. There were better materials to protect it from crashes…

It was unbelievable how the teal troll was getting attention from dozens of trolls as he sat at a large bar table inside the hotel Barb had booked for the party. He was even drinking beer to celebrate. At that point he had scratched all the reservations he had against racing. If done properly, it could be a blast! 

Poppy watched him from the bar as she sat next to Barb and Carol, sipping on her third fruit and sake mix, starting to get a little lightheaded. She was so proud of Branch and her mind was struggling to think of anything else at that point.The girls’ chat fell to undistinguished noise while Branch seemed to raise in volume to make a point about how the exits were too small for the amount of trolls inside the bar; that they should think about enlarging them in case there was fire and they all needed to escape quickly. At the size they were now, only one troll per second would pass through that small door,the rest of them would be burned alive while waiting to get out. It was dramatic, but he was right. And the rock trolls actually started taking notes!

“Your boyfriend seems to be in a better mood.” Barb said, looking at Branch and getting Poppy’s attention back to the conversation they were having.

“Well... he’s not on duty.” Poppy chewed on some peanuts that were placed in front of them. “Back in Pop Village, he’s alert at all times.”

“It’s no wonder why he had never drank before.” Barb chuckled, remembering him getting ridiculously drunk on tequila. “Let’s hope you won’t have to take care of him tonight.”

“No, he’s been there for hours and his beer cup is still only half full. He’s paying attention to keep himself together.” How adorable… She felt like sighing like a sappy, love-sick princess, completely enamoured with him, only, she had to make a small metal note to scold him for yelling at her earlier. She didn’t appreciate getting yelled at, no matter how bossy he could get at his position as her General. 

“So, it means YOU can get drunk.” Barb whistled at the bar troll who quickly gave her another beer bottle and another fruity drink for Poppy. 

“Actually, we must go the first thing in the morning, so I can’t drink much,” she explained, but took the glass anyway. 

The problem was that by the end of her fourth cup she was a gonner. Branch was so engrossed in a rant about fire hydrants and sprinklers that he only noticed that his girlfriend was standing on top of the bar when she raised her voice to start singing, following Barb’s furious guitaring:

_ “Oh, make me over _

_ I'm all I want to be _

_ A walking study _

_ In demonology” _

Uh oh… That was his cue to leave. The party was awesome, there was no denying it, and rock trolls were incredibly friendly once he got to know them, but he wouldn’t allow the Queen to humiliate herself. His job as her protector included keeping her image unscratched. 

_ “Hey, so glad you could make it _

_ Yeah, now you really made it _

_ Hey, so glad you could make it now” _

“Poppy, get down,” he said in a serious tone and Barb pouted at him, but stopped the song anyway. 

“Thank you!” He sighed, “Now c’mon, Poppy.” The Pop Queen giggled and jumped down, falling dramatically into his open arms. 

“My knight came to rescue me, how heroic of you!” She planted a sweet kiss on his cheek, but didn’t get down on her own feet. 

“We better go and set camp up somewhere…” Branch said to her. Poppy wouldn’t go without one last sip of her drink and reached for it. Branch pushed the glass away. “I think you’ve had enough.”

“Hey, Branch!” Barb called. She seemed completely fine, Branch noticed, but the amount of empty beer bottles in front of her made him wonder if she had a liver at all. “You can use one of the rooms upstairs. One bed, shower. Everything you’ll need.”

“One bed…?” He looked at the staircase, knowing what she was implying. Oh well… he had his sleeping bag. Who cared about what they would think?

“Just try not to scream too loud, we’ll be partying down here.” He ignored Barb’s comments, Poppy was distractingly drawing patterns on his arm and, Branch gulped when he realised the situation was fast approaching a very probable outcome. He wrapped his arms around Poppy’s waist protectively and made way to the upstairs floor. 

Despite his previous remarks about the safety of the bar, the hotel upstairs seemed to have better ventilation and escape exits, which made him relax in the thought that he might actually get some sleep that night. That is… if Poppy would allow him. 

She captivated all his senses at once. He set her down on her feet to close the door behind them and she immediately reached for her hair to untie it from the spiky band. She continued humming the song she was singing before and next she reached for her shirt to take it off…

“Okay, wait, I’m still here,” he warned, grabbing the door handle once more to go out and give her some privacy. 

“Oh, precisely,” she said breathlessly, removing the shirt and revealing a cute blue bra. “I’ll grab a quick shower, care to join me?”

“Hm… no.” He desperately concentrated on everything but her. He didn’t know where that seductive voice was coming from, but that wasn’t his Poppy. The alcohol was speaking for her and he wouldn’t fall for that. So he distracted himself by looking over at the lightbulb that was hanging from a wire, concluding it was the kind of trashy decoration the hotel was going for. He heard her unzipping her shorts and buried his head inside his backpack, looking for clean clothes so he could change... after the long shower he was going to need. 

He heard the water running and cursed under his breath. She had left the door open, meaning he would have to keep his back turned for as long as she was in there. He knew a detour to Volcano Rock City was a bad idea.

The noise downstairs was a good distraction, but it was slowly dying down, meaning most trolls were leaving and the bar was about to close. It was a good thing, after all some privacy and silence during the night would be more than welcomed. 

The water stopped running and Branch braced himself to wait for her to get dressed so he could take his turn. Spending the last hours in a jumpsuit didn’t favour his smell. The night before, she had made sure he knew she paid close attention to that kind of detail. 

“Hello, boyfriend.” He almost jumped out of his skin when her voice appeared closely by his side, right into his ear with a hot and deliciously warm breath. “I really want to kiss you.”

She turned around, sitting in front of him wearing nothing but a towel. It was a test to his nerves, surely, but there was no way he would do anything to her while she was drunk. 

“Maybe in the morning.” He stood up, taking a step towards the bathroom. “You’re really drunk… it wouldn’t be right.”

“I’m not as bad as you were the other day.” She stood, holding the towel in place, but Branch noticed how it was falling open on the sides. 

“Yeah, I see that. Your tongue is as sharp as ever,” he growled before closing the door behind him. 

He took all the time he could in that shower. He cleaned places he had never cleaned before. How often did he remember to wash between his toes, anyway? Perhaps he took almost an hour showering, he didn’t take his Hug Watch with him to make sure, but he was certain that Poppy had most likely fallen asleep already. He hoped.

So he got dressed, thinking about the inevitable: she was thinking about it. He had thought about it. They were dating. They would get to that point and it wasn’t going to take long. Only, he couldn’t focus on that during this mission. He needed to understand about his foggy past. He had to accept and understand where he came from so he could think about his future. 

When he opened the door, he found her asleep under the clean white sheets. She was curled on the side, giving him space to join her. The bed was right in the middle of the room and she had opened the window. It was a surprisingly starry night. He saw that the gray air from the volcano had completely cleared and the sky had opened up, revealing a phenomenally beautiful full moon; 

Its light was beaming into the room, reaching Poppy slowly, brightening her up from her feet, up to her legs and working its way to her chest. It almost looked like magic, as if the light was moving intentionally to fully illuminate her. 

And he remembered the scrapbook; how her mom would devote herself to the moon every night. He couldn’t believe it, but he was suddenly jealous of the Moon. He walked up to the window and looked at the big round form shining in its prime in the sky. He wouldn’t allow it to have her. It was stupid and completely irrational, but he closed the window, making sure the darkness welcomed them once more. 

Branch forgot about the sleeping bag. He marched to her side, feeling his blood pumping wildly through his body. He lifted the sheet and crawled beside her, wrapping his arms around her sleeping form and making sure she would be protected the whole night. 

***

He blinked sleepy and moved his head up to shoo the pink hair out of his face. His nose tickled with the wild mass that was tangling around him. He felt something wet on his jaw, as he took in his surroundings. It was still night, the moon was still shining dangerously outside, Poppy was on top of him trailing sweet kisses all over his face. 

Oh crap. 

He felt sluggish. The whole idea was to raise his hand, place them on her shoulders and push her away. But with the amount of work he had done that day along with the couple of beers he had had, made his arms heavy and his hands only trailed up a little, resting against her thighs that were strategically placed on each side of him; she took it as an encouragement. 

The soft coaxing of her lips against his made him temporarily insane, closing his eyes and responding to her kiss. Small tingles of excitement made his toes curl when she pressed herself against him. His mind screamed that it wasn’t right, but his body yelled back telling him to shut up and enjoy it. 

The alcohol was still cooking her brain, but Poppy was aware of what she was doing. She felt dizzy, with her emotions running wild in the form of a warm chill that licked its way down her spine. His touch on her knees made her weaker than she already was and she laid on her side, bringing him to half lay on top of her. 

She really wanted this. The exhilarating feeling of his tongue battling hers was everything she had hoped it would be, awakening a new kind of desire that burned her in a way that she knew she would never be able to get enough. He was addictive. She was completely addicted to Branch. 

Her hand went down to explore his body. She was dying to feel his chest muscles again, but it seemed that her touch wasn’t as welcomed as she had thought, because he held her hand, bringing it down so he pinned her against the bed. She moaned and lifted her knees, since her arms were being held, she’d hold him with her legs instead.

Ha. Serves him right. 

“Poppy… stop, this isn’t right,” he said in her ears, taking his time to plant a sweet kiss there, contradicting his words. 

“Then, why does it feel right?” she asked, claiming his mouth once more. 

He couldn’t argue with her on that. It felt incredibly right. He took a moment to lift himself a little, looking down at her with the little light that entered the room. She looked like a goddess. Her hair seemed to be sprawled everywhere. Her lips were puffy and her cheeks were flushed. Only her heavy and excited breathing carried the faint smell of liquor, reminding him that he had to be the strong one. 

“It feels right because we were made for each other.” He remembered a song he sang not long ago. “But now we have to stop, okay?”

“No…” she whined, moving her hips against him. 

He gasped involuntarily and moved away. 

“Poppy, either we’re stopping nicely or I’m moving to my sleeping bag  _ outside _ the room,” he said fiercely. That got her attention and she looked away, as if ashamed of her behaviour, but angry to have to do as he said. 

He watched with a heavy heart as her eyes brimmed with embarrassed tears. She broke free from his grasp and turned, curling up in a ball, facing the opposite side. It took more guts than he had. It was pure torture, but he couldn’t blame her. She had no idea about the consequences of her actions, and he knew she’d regret it when she was sober. 

Exhaling his frustrations, he turned to the other side and hugged his pillow. He just had a couple of more hours to rest, so he did his best to silence his over-excited body and drifted off into a dreamless sleep. 

The next morning he had a pleasant wake up. The sound of Poppy tiptoeing around the room and opening the door made him shift and start getting alert of his surroundings. With his eyes still closed, he heard her moving a tray next to the window, where she sat down and watched the deserted streets outside. 

She sipped her orange juice quietly. He opened his eyes to see her sitting there in a sleeping shirt, holding her cup and her incredibly messy hair softly blowing with the morning breeze. 

Yep… they had almost done it. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And once again I'd like to thank @thebroppytrain for proofing the chapter for me! Guys thank you for your lovely comments, reviews, messages etc. It's very inspiring to read each single one of them. THANK YOU.


	11. The Moon Island

They were on the road for hours. Branch seemed to pay attention to everything Poppy did. The forest was thicker in the Rock land and a good part of it smelled like burned wood. According to his map he had to pay attention to take the right turn on the forked road. If they went the wrong way they would end up in a tarantapuff’s nest and it wouldn’t be pretty. 

His mind was on the road, his eyes were on the map, but his heart kept beating wildly while recalling the previous night's events and his fists clenched at the conversation he had overheard Between Barb and Poppy that morning. He was a mix of feelings and whenever that happened he wouldn’t make much sense if he said anything, so he decided to keep his mouth shut along the way. 

Poppy didn’t seem to mind. Barb had gotten them as far as possible into the forest. The subject that got Branch angry was the one he had foreseen: The ride was quite enjoyable until Barb asked where they were going. Poppy had to open her mouth and spill everything, making him uncomfortable that someone else knew what they were up to. 

“It isn’t safe. Even for a myth.” Barb cleaned her front teeth with a toothpick. Branch wondered why she supposed it was all a fairytale. Her father had only become King because his older brother died trying to conquer the Empress’s heart. She wouldn’t be Queen in the first place if it wasn’t for the Island. “Were you invited?” she asked.

“No…” Poppy replied and Branch mentally scanned his left pocket where he had put the Pop Ring. If they were invited the pink gem was supposed to glow. He wondered if they were going to be able to get in the boat. 

“Oh well… it must be a bunch of ruins now.” She raised her shoulders in defeat. “I hope you like archeology.” 

Branch didn’t like to be left out. It seemed that Barb knew something about the Island, well, at least more than he and Poppy did. A small spear of anger sprouted in his heart, knowing that King Peppy was most likely playing senile to keep hiding important secrets. It occurred to him what their next step would be once they found out the truth. 

If Poppy really was the daughter of the Empress of Music, what would happen? 

“What do you know that we don’t?” Branch asked Barb, who cackled at his question. 

“Do you like fairy tales? I would never guess it.” But when he just glared angrily at her, Barb decided to speak and be done with his curiosity. “Oh fine,” She rolled her eyes. “It’s an old story, really. My uncle told me a long time ago there was a common girl in love with a Prince, but the Prince didn’t like her, despite all her beauty and gentleness. She devoted her life to him, helping his assistants around the palace just to be close to him.”

“Oh, that’s so sad!” Poppy said and Branch gulped. He knew a certain pink girl who had devoted years of her life to get _his_ attention… 

“... sad?” Barb scoffed, “she was pretty stupid, if you ask me. Listen to the next part: one day they spotted a meteor shower. The Prince was enchanted by it, so he went up to the tower to have a better look. The tower, by the way, was where the girl had been placed to sleep and on his way he woke her up. She joined him on the balcony and they both watched the universe’s show for a while.”

“Owww, tell me he fell in love with her!” Poppy squealed and Branch rolled his eyes. Stupid story, really. 

“Uh, hate to break it to ya, Popsqueak, but have you ever heard of ancient tales having happy endings? Seriously, a meteor fell from the sky and hit the Prince in the chest, literally ripping his heart out!” 

That surprised Branch and he considered asking Barb to stop, because Poppy looked shocked with the plot twist, but he was too curious about where it was going... “The meteor was a white piece of the Moon itself, so, as the girl saw the love of her life taking his last breaths on the floor she got on her knees and begged for the Moon to save him, that she’d devote her life to the moon if he lived.”

“He lived and he fell in love with her, right?” Poppy asked, hopeful. 

“He lived, all right.” Barb scratched her hair. “But it’s a story my uncle told me to keep me away from boys, so let me tell you that the Prince lived, but the moon couldn’t make him fall in love with the girl. She kept her part of the deal and continued in her devotion every night, as a fair exchange to keep him by her side. The moon kept him alive while her devotion lasted.”

“And they died, the end.” Branch tried to cut the story short, hoping there was something behind it that was useful about the Moon Island.

“Almost over, jeez… so impatient.” Barb leaned down to whisper in Poppy’s ears “He skips preliminaries, doesn’t he?”

“Hey!” Branch looked at her, completely flushed by the insolent comment. 

“Anyway! The girl was taken as the moon’s child, receiving its blood and, like a caring father, the moon sang her lullabies as a consolation for living a loveless life.”

Poor Poppy was crushed by the tale and Branch looked angrily at Barb who just shrugged. 

“They say it’s how the Island appeared. Every night the moon shines there, turning everything all white and mysterious.” Her amused smile at Poppy’s sad face showed how much she didn’t take the story seriously. “Boys are trouble!” Barb shouted just before leaving them. 

Poppy and Branch arrived at the forked road and Poppy waited by his side, tickling a fuzzy critter that had started following her around while he double-checked the map; her giggles were distracting and she backed up towards him when the critter playfully counter-attacked. She stood so close that her hand brushed against his arm, sending an electric feeling with the reminder of her touch from the previous night..

They took the path the map indicated and soon they found another arrow with a P carved in a tree, confirming they were on the right track. According to the map and the scrapbook, they would arrive at the beach a little after lunch time. They would have the whole afternoon to explore the place. 

“I really want a tan!” Poppy said, jumping excitedly at each step she took. 

“As long as you’re ready when the sun sets, you can do whatever you want,” he replied dryly. 

“Somebody isn’t in the brightest mood,” she called from ahead. If only she knew how his bad mood was, she wouldn’t even joke about it. She was such a tease even without knowing it and that made everything even more frustrating. 

“I’m… just anxious to get there. I’m sorry.”

But his bad mood lifted completely when they both felt the warm sand under their feet. He couldn’t help but to open a broad smile at her toothy grin. The place was a small piece of paradise. They had never seen a beach like it before. The sand was so white it almost felt like cotton and the water, far ahead, was so blue that, for a second, they thought it melded with the sky. 

The sun wasn’t too hot. It was just perfect for spending the day without having to look for shade. The only thing that disturbed the natural landscape was a small wooden construction. They didn’t have to voice their curiosity to walk there. Someone had the brilliant idea to install a small shelter with a cold shower, so they could wash the sand and salty water off. 

“This IS paradise!” Poppy squealed, already opening her bag in search of her bikini. 

“What are you waiting for?” Branch called in a rare display of carefreeness, he shook off his leaf vest and threw it on the sand as he ran to the water. Diving in with an excited shout. 

Poppy couldn’t believe her eyes. She quickly changed behind the shelter and took off as fast she could, shouting as happily as he had done. The temperature of the water was just right. Highly suitable for the day they were having and the tides were so small they were almost nonexistent, giving the ocean a feeling that it was a big lake. 

“This place alone made the whole trip worth it!” Branch said, swimming closer to her. Oh, he did like the sight of her wet hair. It floated around her in every direction, creating smooth waves that moved languidly in hypnotic ripples.

“Unbelievable,” Poppy replied, still looking around like she was in the middle of an impressionist painting. “And my dad never spoke of this place.”

Unknowingly, she had rubbed the mental wound. He was trying to avoid that thought. 

“Hey…” He said gently, finding her hand under the crystalline water and pulling her closer. She grinned at him, placing her small hands on his shoulders. “I love you.”

She was taken by surprise for a few seconds, replaying the scene when he said those words for the first time. Her heart skipped a beat, like the revelation was news to her. She gently kept kicking her feet under water to float at his eye level. It didn’t go unnoticed that she was swimming while he kept his feet planted on the fluffy sand below. 

“I love you, too.” Poppy’s voice came out in parts, breaking at each kick and that made him chuckle. Unknown to himself, Branch’s courage seemed to soar when they were alone. In a calm and accurate move, he wrapped his arm around her small waist, bringing her as close as physically possible. 

Her expression was a mix of excitement and bewilderment and it was only when he brought his other hand behind her head that she understood that he wanted to kiss her, and for that he supported her underwater, so she could stay still. 

It was amazingly exciting kissing like that. Their bodies, slick from the water, seemed to make the feelings escalate to a level where battling tongues didn’t seem to suffice. Poppy couldn’t believe she had shut herself out from all that. If only Branch had given her a chance before… 

His courage progressed to boldness when she playfully bit his lower lip, igniting a fire that he also didn’t have experience with. His body guided his moves while his brain went for a joyride. She didn’t protest when he slid his hand down from her back and explored lower, instead, it seemed to please her - according to the increased volume of sounds she started to make. 

It was mind-blowingly good. Instinctively, she wrapped her legs around him and her hands cupped his face. His knees buckled at the feeling, nearly drowning them both. She didn’t mind, or stop her sweet invasion in his mouth, but safety spoke louder and he slowly walked them both to the sand, still holding her while he did. He wondered if she even noticed he was getting out of the water. 

He laid her down, with soft waves licking their bodies on the fluffy sand, he kept his firm grip on her thighs. She gave him full permission by doing some exploration of her own. Her curious hands felt everything, from his back to his arms, to his chest and trailed up to restart the process. Her tiny pink fingers were killing him with anticipation. He wanted so much more than superficial touches. 

And so he tried, slowly - while keeping an eye half open to study any sign that she might be startled or confused or anything that would make him immediately stop - to reach down to the tie on the side of the bottom part of her green swimsuit. He tugged it a bit and she didn’t seem to mind - or notice. 

Another tug… 

His mind ran wild. It occurred to him that it could be a scene that followed the smooth jazz hallucination. Both, lying on the sand, loving each other until the stars started to appear. It was the most romantic scenario for their first time. 

“Branch…?” Her breathless voice sounded desperate against his lips. She grinded her hips against his, not really knowing what she was doing. It took him a moment to realize she wanted to say something and he patiently waited for her to come out with it. “Will you always be here?”

At first he didn’t understand what she was asking, Although he wasn’t entirely sure, it appeared that she was afraid that somehow he would abandon her one day. That he would return to his survivalist ways and lock himself in the bunker and lock her out of his life. It was an irrational thought, because he had made it clear to her that he didn’t want to be anywhere she wasn’t. 

But then again… they were both about to do something they weren’t supposed to think about. And when feelings came to the surface, lingering fears were bound to show. 

“Each day I love you more than I did the day before,” he said quietly, brushing a strand of wet hair off her eyes. “There’s nowhere else I want to be.”

He felt her hand grabbing his hair and pulling him down in a fierce kiss. That was all the answer she needed. 

A seagull squawked right above them. It was loud and the only sound that disturbed the otherwise peaceful setting. Branch moved to dive into her kiss, brushing the intruder off, but another sound made it impossible for them to ignore. Breaking their lips apart, Poppy raised a hand to protect her eyes from the sun, while seeing several white birds coming to the shore. 

That couldn’t be normal. 

Frustrated with all the excitement they had built and now was slowly dying, Branch sat up to see the line of birds coming from deep in the ocean. They seemed to follow something - some sort of shape that kept getting bigger while getting closer. 

Poppy and Branch looked at each other, seeing that a few stars had timidly started twinkling in the sky and the sun had tiredly made its way behind a mountain. It was the boat! Quickly standing up, they both threw their clothes on and adjusted their hair the best way they could. Branch, having quicker vestments, watched Poppy with a slight smile, admiring the redness of her cheeks. Either it was from blushing or tanning he couldn’t work out, but she looked incredibly adorable. 

Without a breeze, the boat approached very slowly and it was already dark when it stopped near them. 

The troll sailing it was a small and old fellow, with a thick mustache that matched King Peppy’s description perfectly. He was as surprised as they were. Every day for years he made his way down the beach as if out of habit and returned without any guests. He had nearly forgotten the sight of other trolls, but what really surprised him was Poppy. He pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose and stared at her for a long moment. 

“Good gracious…” Was everything he said. 

“Hm…” Branch was hesitant at his silence, but he wouldn’t let it prolong to the point of becoming uncomfortable. “Is it the boat to the island?”

“Get in at once, children,” he said, offering Poppy a hand. She exchanged a glance with her boyfriend before accepting it. They put their bags in the wooden boat and sat side by side, with eyes wide and both their heads swimming with thoughts of how real that mere fairytale was becoming. 

“Unbelievable,” the old man said, “after all these years…”

Branch’s left hand was on Poppy’s right knee. The small gesture could be interpreted as ownership, like he possessed her and nobody would come closer, but the warm touch and the lightness that he was managing to keep, even with a big hand like his, the pink girl could only see it as supportive and protective. It felt intimate and right. 

“Do you mind telling us a little about the island?” Branch tried making conversation. “Sir…?”

“Mare,” the boatman answered; his mouth was unseen, only his mustache moved when he spoke, making his voice a little muffled. The wrinkles on his face certainly were earned from years of sailing under the restless sun. The salty waters and sea breeze didn’t favour his looks in the long run. “You’re telling me you have no idea where you’re going…” It wasn’t a question. 

“We’ve read stories. We’re here to explore.” In a spur of bravery, the teal troll felt like he could face anything in their way. There he was, proving that he was right, that the King was keeping secrets from them; he was approaching the pinnacle of a journey his own dad had made before and… - he dared a glance at a very oddly quiet Poppy - he was going to help her get the gift her mother had left her. She’d see that it was all true. 

“My… my… I’m sure they all will want to explore as well…” Mare said, turning his boat to the left, sailing towards the rising Moon. A mesmerized gasp escaped the pop trolls’ lips when they saw the size and the brightness of that spectacle in the sky. It was bigger than either of them had ever seen before. For a moment it looked like they would anchor in there. 

A hot breeze met a colder one. From both sides of the boat the endless ocean reflected the stars, tinkling with the discreet waves. They barely had time to admire the constellations - Mare grumnled in annoyance, as if he had seen that sky so many times it bored him - and a thick mist started rising until it completely hid the night. 

Branch felt Poppy’s hands searching for him and they intertwined their fingers in anxiety. They could barely see each other and the water was so calm that they ceased to feel the gentle current. It made sense why King Peppy would scrapbook about floating. It felt like they were sailing in the clouds, but the survivalist’s rational mind kept note of the reality of it all, keeping himself from submerging in pointless fantasies. 

The boat stopped abruptly, making both trolls to grip on the sides so they wouldn’t be tossed forward. Mare stood and tied the boat to a small pole by a wooden bridge. Branch offered Poppy a hand while Mare put their backpacks on the landing. 

“I know it’s not my business…” the boattroll used his arm to roll the rope back in place, hucking it on his hand and on his elbow. “But I’d keep my eyes wide open if I were you.”

“Oh, we will!” Poppy squealed in excitement, giving the old troll quite a fright when she jumped on him for a tight hug to show all her gratitude. It was the first time Branch noticed her mood had drastically changed, going from apprehensive to beamingly happy. “Thank you so much for the trip!”

“Thank you, sir…” Branch was still serious, concentrating on possible dangers around them, and having someone who had known the island its entire life warning them, certainly didn’t make him relax. 

Mare didn’t answer, he just walked on the sand towards huge stones that held back the crashing waves and rising tide. He didn’t even leave footprints on the sand. Observing him, Branch had a chill like he had seen a ghost.

Poppy found a staircase carved in the stones and was already hopping her way up to the higher grounds when Branch caught up with her. The bright Moon was back above and the mist stayed under them, completely covering the ocean, giving it a real feeling that they were in a land in the sky. 

“Poppy, wait for me.” Branch clasped their hands together firmly and stared into her eyes as if it was the last time he was seeing them sparkling with that much excitement. A scary feeling passed by him, raising the hairs on the back of his neck. “Let’s stay together. Not a centimeter apart, do you understand?”

“Oh…” She turned to fully face him. Behind her, the light was so strong he could barely see her features. Her pink hair seemed to shine and her outline gleamed, giving her an unearthly feeling. For a moment he forgot how to breathe and she took his stunned silence to wrap her arms around him. “My love… I’ll do whatever you say.”

If Branch wasn’t gently tugged forward, he wouldn’t have moved at all. He felt like his mind had been swept away in a delightful trance. Poppy led the way until they reached the top step and both stopped to appreciate the view before them. 

The castle was still there, and it was breathtaking. Branch didn’t think he would love the view at that point. His high spirits were unmatchable, making him feel like his feet weren’t touching the ground anymore. Maybe he wasn’t levitating, but he almost fainted in ecstasy. Scary and holy feelings were rippling through him with dizzying confusion.

The castle was a construction in romantic style, where the stones were sculpted in white marble, and the windows were drafted in semi-circle arches, with round iron painted in white and transparent glasses that seemed to go up forever, decorating the slim towers with curves and lines that reminded him of opera scenarios. If Bach’s music could be interpreted in structures, that castle would be Cello Suite n°1. 

Poppy had a similar feeling, her hand slightly twitching at each new detail she saw, making him understand that she was much in awe as he was. He couldn’t brush the faint feeling that it was the place where she had really come from. It scared him that there wasn’t a place as heavenly that he could offer her back in Pop Village. 

They walked in silence towards the giant white doors that most likely were the main entrance. Branch’s amazement came under control as his mind grew alert at any sign of suspicious movement. The boat troll made it sound like the island wasn’t inhabited, so he kept a keen eye for surprises. 

“Branch…?” Poppy came to halt, making him look at her in confusion. Her eyes were set somewhere behind the castle, where the east wall ended. He was curious about getting to enter that place, but she almost let his hand go to follow whatever captured her attention, so he decided it wasn’t a good place or time to banter about it, and escorted her silently from the shadows until they had walked around the side. 

It was a garden that looked like it was abandoned. The grass - with a green color so faint that it almost looked like it was white - was growing tall and the bushes needed to be trimmed in shape. The Moonflowers decorated the floor and as beautiful as they were, what really took the couple’s breath away was the giant statue of a troll, sculpted in a white stone, looking serious and elegant. 

From the scrapbook, they both knew the name of the Empress of Music was supposed to be there so they walked closer, pushing the grass out of the way until they found it. It was exactly who they supposed it was: Lily. 

“Branch…” Poppy said breathlessly, taking a few steps back so she could see the statue in its entirety. “So… this is my mom.”

“I suppose so…,” he replied. It was impossible to deny her likeness, Poppy was a perfect copy of Lily, with happier eyes and brighter smile. He gave her all the time she needed to study the statue. It was perhaps five or six times their size, showing how grand The Empress had been. It also occurred to him that she wasn’t in the statue hall that King Peppy had described, but in the middle of the garden, looking dirty from staying under the weather, unprotected. 

Maybe that was the punishment she had received. She wasn’t allowed near the others that came before. 

“Let’s see if there’s someone inside.” Poppy’s voice brought him back from his dream. Branch thought she’d have liked to stay there longer, but apparently, his girlfriend was the kind to look at her past with less curious eyes than she looked at her present. 

They didn’t have the time to go back to the front door. They heard a ringing sound behind them and turned around to be greeted with two soldiers wearing white armors firmly holding blades with their unwavering hands. Poppy gasped and Branch pushed her behind him, opening his arms to get ready to defend her by counter-attacking. 

“Invaders,” one of them said, “your presence is required inside the castle.” 

Branch felt her warm fingers relaxing from its grip on his leaf vest and his shoulders fell, even if still feeling suspicious. Both guards also visibly let their tensions fade by sheathing their swords back in place. Their eyes held a fear that didn’t go unnoticed by the survivalist. Their tongues were frozen, but they were visibly shaken by the sight of Poppy. 

The interior of the castle was just as majestic, although it seemed like it should be dusted more often. The first room, next to the entrance was where they were guided and mentally, Branch made a parallel with the scrapbook once more, getting the feeling that they were in the Prime Minister’s office. 

It felt colder inside. The tall walls and double height rooms were strategically designed to keep the temperature to an agreeable degree, even if outside was freezing cold or egg-frying hot. The chair behind an enormous white desk in the middle of the room moved, taking their eyes from the ceiling. The yellow troll with purple hair looked old, with several strands of white hair standing in a neatly combed way. 

He restrained his surprise when he saw Poppy, unlike his guards, he didn’t show emotions or break the strict protocols he maintained even with an Empressless castle. 

“This is a very pleasant surprise…,” he said, standing up. Branch tightened his grip on his girlfriend’s hand, showing her that he wasn’t letting go. The Prime Minister’s sharp eyes noticed that. “... Your Highness.”

“Oh…” Poppy was surprised and laughed nervously at the sudden name. “There’s no need for formalities. I’m Poppy.”

“Poppy… daughter of Lily.” He inspected her closer, hunching down his back and adjusting his golden monocle in place. “Quite impressive, I’d say.”

“And I’m…” Branch started to say, but the man interrupted him with a single clap, looking suddenly very thrilled. 

“You must be tired from the long journey. I believe your mother’s old chambers will be fitting. And you…” He looked at Branch from head to toes, obviously not liking what he saw, but showing very little opinion of his own. “... you may find the guest room quite comfortable.” 

He exchanged a quick look with Poppy as they followed the brisk troll out of the room and up the marble staircase. Their joined hands were going to remain like that: completely glued to one another. 

“Sir…” Branch started, but once again he was ignored. 

“Mr. Prime Minister.” Poppy said in a louder voice, noticing that the man would only hear what she had to say. Indeed, she was right. The troll stopped right in front of huge double white doors with silver designs and looked back at her. “This is Branch, my boyfriend, and we’re not getting separated.” The old troll’s eye twitched, even if his face remained still as stone. “I thank you for your kindness to see the best accommodations for us, but two rooms won’t be necessary.” 

“I see…” an exceedingly long, dramatic pause followed and the yellow troll pushed the door open with a swift move. “I beg your pardon, I’m not acquainted with the practices outside the Island.”

“We don’t want to be disrespectful.” Branch said, trying to make appear agreeable. 

“I believe we will have time to get to know each other over dinner,” the Prime Minister said, checking his wrist watch. “I’ll send someone to guide you to the dining room in an hour.”

The door was closed behind them. Their hands let each other go for the first time since they arrived there. The poor teal troll wasn’t expecting a burst of excitement to wash over his girlfriend and he was knocked down when she flung forward into his arms to hold him as tightly as she could with a fit of giggles. 

“Oh my Hair, Branch…,” she said, rolling on top of him like a little girl. “It IS true. This place is like a dream!” 

“Told ya…” He couldn’t help but grin at her amusement. 

“Oh, thank you.” She showered his face with tiny kisses repeating ‘thank you’ between them. “We must explore!” Standing up, she quickly looked around the room, taking the place in for the first time. 

A huge bed was in the middle, with silver satin sheets; a white transparent veil covered all sides like a tent, giving it a vague feeling of privacy. On the opposite side a huge walk-in closet with several dresses in display captured her attention, magnetically pulling her towards it. 

Branch chuckled at her and looked around a bit more. A breakfast table was by the enormous glass windows from where the Moon seemed to spy on them. A small door led to a balcony and from there he could see they were in the highest tower. 

Another set of doors to the other side and he found a bathroom. Shining clean, with a Victorian bathtub in the middle, a shower in the corner and a big sink; it made his bunker look like a prehistoric cave. The suite alone was bigger than all the levels combined. 

He felt his skin sticky with the salty water and it had been bothering him for a while. He had just one more set of clean clothes, but that bathtub would be useful to wash the rest of them. He could leave his vests hanging on the balcony to dry during the night. Nice place for laundry.

So he filled the bathtub and while he waited for it to reach the right level, he undressed and opened the shower. The water pressure was indescribably perfect - strong, steady and it massaged his sore muscles to the point of relaxing him. With a hand on the wall, he felt the sea water wash away. The taste on his mouth changed from salty to sweet and his hair went down for a few seconds, before he stood it back up. 

He was so engrossed by the shower that he didn’t see Poppy enter the bathroom. If she peeked he’d never find out, but she left his shampoo on the floor by the glass shower door and got inside the bathtub, splashing around with giggles. 

“P-Poppy!” She surprised him, obviously, and he spun around, hiding his parts with his hands, completely red-faced. “What are you doing?”

“I didn’t see anything,” she laughed, submerging herself to get her hair wet. She had her back turned to him and the bubbles completely hid her body from his curious eyes. “You said not a centimeter apart, I’m just obeying you, kind sir.”

“You are a tease.” The embarrassment wasn’t too overwhelming after all. She was minding her own business, not looking at him and not long ago they were about to do some delicious things to each other that involved a lot of nakedness. Even if it was a bit much to act normal around her - some obvious reactions were impossible to ignore - he picked up the shampoo and resumed his washing. 

“What do you think is going to happen now?” she asked quietly, working on cleaning her own hair. 

She didn’t need to explain any further. Since they bonded from the Escape of the Bergens, they seemed to know what each other were thinking. It was the miracle of love, he guessed. They must have developed some kind of telepathy. She was worried about their next steps. If she belonged on the Moon Island, what would happen to Pop Village? And, could she go back, knowing that such a wonderful place existed? 

“I think…” he began, shutting off the water and wrapping his body with a white fluffy towel. He saw her turning her head slightly when she heard him walking closer. She didn’t blush when he kneeled down by her side with a smile filled with certainty. “We should stay for a few days. You get to know more about your mom…”

“But the village…”

“...I say you’re the one to decide what you want to do. If you want to say, we’ll stay.” Permanently, he wanted to add, but he didn’t need to voice that. She understood what he meant. 

“It’s not fair with you…” she whispered, but she was considering it. “Your bunker…”

“It would be more than enough to stay by your side…” Branch leaned forward and gave her a kiss on the lips, slow and meaningful. It was meant to show her just how far he was willing to go for her. “... I just want to be the troll you love.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You wanted to Moon Island? It's here! Lol. Sounds too good to be true? ehehehe


	12. If Only...

The clothes slid across the clothes rail one by one, from left to right, under analytical magentas eyes. Everything was white. Satin and Chenille provided the type of clothes she liked: with a lot of glitter, whimsical, full skirts and floral patterns; dresses that basically would make her be spotted miles away, especially if she was escorted by her friend Guy Diamond. 

But tonight she didn’t want to wear anything like that. She had more than twenty dresses right in front of her and they had belonged to her mother. It felt right to try one of them. They all seemed too simple - that much was true - but once she had heard Nova Swift saying that ‘less is more’, which basically meant, the less details, more naturally beautiful she’d be. Now she couldn’t agree more.

Poppy liked glitter, of course, she loved to shine like a true Queen. But as she picked a dress and slowly put it on, zipping it up and watching how the light fabric hugged her curves in the right places, making her exude royalty and refinement, she knew a nice dressmaker could change history with its design.

Staring at herself in the mirror, the Pop Queen saw somebody else in there. She didn’t look like her childish self; instead, she looked slender, her back seemed straighter, her shoulders were backwards, puffing up her chest with a certainty that seemed to dress her with equal pride and beauty as she wore the fancy fabric.

“Are you ready, Poppy?” Branch called from the armchair by the glass window. He had gotten dressed much quicker than she had, having only shorts and leaf vests that he had brought. He heard someone knocking and tried to hurry the astounded Queen that had disappeared inside the closet more than half an hour ago. 

“Just trying something different with my hair. Be right out.” She replied and Branch stood up to open the door for a scrawny old lady that stood outside. 

“I was instructed to attend the Empress's needs,” she said, bowing respectfully at him. 

“Hm… hi. I’m Branch.” He wasn’t used to having servants. He didn't really know how to act around them. “I think she already helped herself.” 

With a surprised look, the lady dashed inside with an urgency like that her job depended on it. 

“Oh… you look exactly like our dear Lily,” Branch heard the woman say, with Poppy politely replying that she didn’t need assistance. Of course, everything was in vain because the woman insisted on fixing her hair. 

Branch heard them talking some more and decided to inspect the only place he hadn’t taken a closer look: the bed. It was way too big for a single troll and he couldn’t help but think about all the explorations they could do in there. He could hardly wait. The mattress was even softer than the one she had given him. He bounced like a kid to try it out and a smile plastered his face. There were many pillows. He chose one and laid his head on it. His eyes wandered upwards at the structure from where the bed veil was hanging and found something square-shaped with faint colored reflexes. 

“Let’s try the crown…” he heard the maid saying inside the closet and Poppy protested a few times before giving in. Branch took the opportunity to get the object. It was a book. A blank book written “To Poppy” on the first page, with round letters that seemed to be made with a quill. 

Was this the gift?

He heard his girlfriend gasping and he hid the book under her pillow before standing up. Her timid steps clacked across the floor, making Branch notice that she had some shoes on, even if he couldn’t see them. 

His jaw dropped at the sight before him. The hem of her dress just barely brushed the floor. It went up in an endless and fluid line up to her waist. Her back was completely exposed and the fabric hung loose in the front. He wondered where she had hidden that figure, and how blind he had been not to see it before. 

The crown on top of her head was equally as magnificent. It was made of rough gems, with pearls and silver chains forming a round arch that looked like it was made by mother nature itself. Branch recognized all the crystals and moonstones that decorated it. It looked RIGHT on her head and it scared him. If dating a Queen was already a big thing, he wondered how it would be like with an Empress. 

“Do I look silly?” Her self-consciousness spoke for her. Branch couldn’t think of a proper answer where he wouldn’t blab and make a fool of himself. His body didn’t respond to his thoughts. He felt his feet leading him to her until their fronts were touching. His hands wanted to wrap her in a tight embrace, but he didn’t want to ruin the preciousness of her dress, so he reached for her face and kissed her long and lovingly, pouring his heart and his answer by his actions, hoping that she’d understand that he saw a stunningly beautiful woman standing in front of him and nothing less. 

They heard the maid sniff and saw her avert her eyes in a mix of emotion and embarrassment. For an eternal instant, Branch didn’t care about being discreet. His heart was beating wildly as if telling him that he was kissing Poppy goodbye and the Empress hello. His insecurities started to run wild, but she seemed to make him feel that he was the only one to capture her full attention when her lips parted and caressed him in an intimate and strawberry flavoured dance. 

“We should go,” he breathed, leaning his forehead against hers. With half parted lids he saw her smile widening. She was trembling under his touch and her body seeked shelter in his, where she felt protected, where she felt safe. 

They opened the door and Branch felt Poppy hooking her arms with his, like he was escorting her to a fancy ball. The hallway outside was filled with guards that didn’t mask their surprise at the new arrivals. Most of them were old enough to have met the previous Empress and were never allowed to look her in the eyes, for her looks were treated like a forbidden fruit in Eden. Everything was new, for the royal girl and for the staff. They would have to adapt to each other. 

They walked down the staircase where the Prime Minister waited for them with a serious look. If he was affected by Poppy’s appearance he didn’t show it, instead, he seemed to be eager to talk business and get the castle working in its full glory as it was before. 

“Your Grace,” he bowed exaggeratedly, making Branch nudge her playfully, almost getting a chuckle from her lips. “The kitchen staff is arranging the dinner table, so I invite you for a brief tour through the rooms.”

“ _We_ ’d be delighted.” Poppy made sure to stretch the pronoun, so the older troll would understand that Branch would always be with her. Once again, the silent treatment from a vexed Prime Minister was inviting enough for them both to follow him around, room after room while he explained the history of each painting and each chandelier. 

“You see that mirror carved in moonstone was a gift from the first suitor of your great grandmother. Very bold young fellow, but he couldn’t guess her name and had to accept his fate.” The said in an exceedingly excited voice, as if he took pleasure in saying that every Empress was successfully condemned to loneliness. “That room over there is the drawing room. We use that to arrange private meetings with leaders that are invited and require a more intimate atmosphere.”

“Do you have a library full of fairy tale scrapbooks?” Poppy seemed delighted with the amazingness of the interior decorations, even if it was minimalist due to lack of use over the years, but the stones themselves made everything shine. 

“Scrapbooks, no; we have real books. Each Empress had their glorious story written down in detail. Every song they inspire is meticulously described in their pages.” 

“Songs…?” Poppy and Branch echoed. The teal troll felt the need to understand exactly what an Empress was supposed to do. Their days would be incredibly boring if they were supposed to just stand there and look respectable. The Prime Minister found the question quite impertinent, but seeing that Poppy had also questioned it, he had no choice but to answer them. 

“The Empress of Music’s job is to create inspiration and blow them to the reigns.” 

“Wait, what?” Branch half laughed. “To create inspiration? Uh…” He exchanged an amused look with Poppy. “When the Strings got destroyed we learned the music comes from our hearts.”

“Ah… yes.” The Prime Minister frowned, “those Strings were convenient enough to inspire the tribes to have a willing heart. But the inspiration itself is created the traditional way.” 

To illustrate his explanation, he pushed open another door, on the west wing, to reveal a great room with several instruments on display. It looked like a conductor’s dream store. Cellos, piano, violins, tubas, drums, guitars… even unknown instruments like bamboo whistles had their place. At their awe-d expressions the old troll continued. “She transforms the songs she receives to be suitable for troll’s ears by composing them and sending them to the right tribe. This is her creation room.”

“This is amazing!” Branch said. It was like finding a treasure, only it was much more valuable than gold. The possibilities of endless inspirations to compose countless songs was a gift to any troll. “Where does she get the songs from?”

“The Moon.” The Prime Minister’s eyes gleamed when he said that, causing Branch to sober up, as if he wasn’t buying the story.

“I’ve never seen a place like this…” Poppy hadn’t moved from her position. Her eyes were taking in the size of the place and her hand flew to her heart to feel it opening to the world of possibilities that just unfolded right in front of her. 

“This is all yours, Your Grace,” the Prime Minister said, eyeing Branch who was clearly distracted. “Would you accept a gift?” 

“Wow… this place alone is a better gift than I could ever ask for.” She tightened her hand on her boyfriend’s and then looked back down, seeing that the Prime Minister had clapped twice. Immediately a maid approached with a small velvet box. 

“What is this?” Poppy asked curiously. 

“This…” the Prime Minister said, opening up the box to show her a small and delicate ring. It looked smaller than the one Branch was carrying around and the gemstone was purely white. The golden band had four carved drawings: each a phase of the moon. “... was your mother’s ring.” With a little hesitation, Poppy picked it up in her hands, carefully studying its shape and size. 

It looked like her mother had the same sized hands she did. The whole situation of coming to where she had lived, to what she dressed in and her routine dawned on Poppy that, the woman she had never known, had been happy and found love here. She understood why Branch was so eager to follow in his dad’s footsteps. It was not just a journey to the past, but also a way to connect to their history. They were standing on their roots. 

She slid the ring on her middle finger, seeing how perfectly it suited her. A sniff made her turn to Branch, who seemed to be more sensitive to the whole situation than she was. He had such a big and brave heart. She was there because of him. There was nothing she could do that would match his thoughtfulness. 

The gem gleamed for a second and both pop trolls stared at it in amazement. It was enough to miss a subtle and contended nod from the Prime minister.

“Like I predicted. It suits you well,” he said, turning around and leading the couple back out to the halls. “I believe dinner is served.”

“Ouch.” Poppy looked down at her hand, seeing the ring on her finger curiously. 

“What’s wrong?” Branch asked, looking over her shoulder. 

“Oh nothing, probably a bug bit me.”

Still too shaken up to manage their own thoughts, Poppy and Branch followed their guide back to where they had come from, to find out that the dining room was big enough to fit more than fifty people comfortably, sitting next to each other. Not that the room had ever been used to its full capacity - perhaps back a thousand years when the Empress required to be amused during fancy dinner parties - but it was at their disposal if anyone needed to throw a party. 

Only three plates were placed at the end of the table. Even the ceramics had silver decorative ornaments painted with round edges. Everything seemed to live and breathe the moon. Branch pulled a chair, helping Poppy to sit down with his chivalrous techniques and getting a grateful grin from her. 

A troll dressed as a butler walked in and opened a bottle of white wine, which was poured first for the pink queen, inflating her ego quite a bit. Then, he turned to Branch, but before he could pour a single drop, the teal troll raised his hand, stopping the servant with a halt. 

“I don’t drink. Thanks.” 

“Since I’m working, no drinks for me either,” the Prime Minister immediately added, sending the butler out of the room. 

“Oh well. Looks like I’m drinking alone,” Poppy giggled, sipping on the wine to try it. Her surprised face made Branch grin at her. She loved the taste and would have to hold herself back from drinking the whole bottle. “Would you mind telling us more about this place?” she said, taking another generous sip.

“There’s nothing much to tell… we’ve lived here since the beginning,” the Prime Minister began, as another butler walked into the dining room, serving a small amount of ceviche as an entrée. Branch willingly accepted the dish and was salivating at the appetizing smell before he even took the first bite. The Prime Minister continued. “Like a matchstick, if inspiration doesn’t ignite the right heart it fades before being useful. Creating sounds and whispering them into the right tribe’s direction is the Empress’s job.”

“So… you’re saying the first creational impulse comes from this place?” Poppy asked, amused. 

“No… it comes from the moon, through you,” he patiently explained, watching her sip on her drink some more. “Since we’ve been without an Empress, the tribes have fallen in a swirl of remixes and reinvented songs. Nothing too original has been created in the last twenty-five years.”

“Of course it has!” Poppy blurted out, “Our creative process may lack… many instruments… we don’t have rooms like yours…” The explanations sounded oddly farfetched to Poppy’s ears.

“ - like yours, your Grace,” he corrected her and Poppy took another sip, feeling an energetic spur taking over her. Branch watched the argument like watching a tennis match, with his mouth full of ceviche. 

“Whatever,” Poppy continued, “anyway, my point is: we all inspire each other, the tribes all live in harmony now. A lot has changed.”

“How many original songs have you heard lately, if you don’t mind me asking?” the Prime Minister queried.

“A lot-” Poppy started, but this time it was Branch who cut her off. 

“Hm… I think I sort of see what he is trying to say, Poppy,” he swallowed another bite. “Not all of us can create songs as easily as you do. You have a special talent.” He reached for her hand and squeezed it in a supportive way. 

“But Branch…” she replied quietly, eyeing him with uncertainty.

“It looks like you’ve been using your powers even without knowing, your Grace.” The Prime Minister’s food was untouched and he played with a small olive on his plate. “The new era is blooming.” 

“Oh… about that.” Poppy laughed awkwardly, looking at Branch for backup. “You see… I haven’t decided if I want to stay here.”

“I have no doubts that you’ll see that you belong here,” the Prime Minister replied, watching her intently, leaning forward like a dangerous wild cat that was about to attack its prey. Branch frowned and clenched his free hand in a fist under the table, getting ready for whatever was going to be revealed. The Prime Minister lowered his voice. “We can be very persuasive.”

“The place itself is amaz… ing.” Suddenly Poppy let go from Branch’s hand and placed her palms fully spread on the table on each side of her plate, as if she had been hit by a dizzy spell. “But… I have a kingdom to run…” she continued, closing her eyes and opening them several times, as if she was trying to focus on something in front of her but wasn’t being successful.. 

“I’m sure your boyfriend will be flattered to run it for you,” the old troll replied, finally grabbing a small tomato and chewing it with appreciation. 

“Frosting…” she cursed under her breath, raising a hand to her forehead. 

Seeing this Branch switched straight into protective mode. He stood up, dropping the chair behind him with a loud noise. His heart seemed to be beating in his throat. 

Poppy’s face had gone extremely pale as she looked up at him.

“Branch...” she stammered, “I don’t feel well...”

Poppy tried to stand up too, reaching for him, but she stumbled on her own chair while trying to take a step. Branch caught her just before she collided with the floor. Her eyes focused on him for a second before rolling back in her head and completely passing out. 

“Poppy!” Branch called in fright. He quickly checked her pulse. Her heart was beating, she still had a bit of color on her cheeks, even if her lips were deadly pale. Branch swung around to the Prime Minister in a panic. “Do you have a doctor?!” he screamed, but the troll at the table just looked at him serenely, watching the scene unfold in front of him.

“She’s going to be fine,” The Prime Minister replied, standing up. 

Branch growled, almost like an animal, curling his body over Poppy’s, caging her in his protective arms. The Prime Minister sighed. “Let go of her and stand back, please.”

“You’re insane if you think I’m leaving her!” Branch scooped her up in his arms, scanning the room for doors and windows to which he could escape. He never thought she would feel so light or perhaps, in his despair, he had gained some unknown strength. Either way, he could easily manage to run towards the huge double doors with his hands protectively around her. 

“No, Branch…” The Prime Minister calmly lit up a pipe, smoking up the room with a terrible smell. “You’re insane if you think you can escape this Island, with our highly trained army guarding our Empress’s best interests.”

And as if confirming his point, the doors Branch was running to, spun open and several white armored guards ran inside, forming a circle around him with their swords ready to slice their way to their beloved Empress. He was trapped. There wasn’t a way out. 

“Put the Empress on the ground and step back,” the distasteful voice echoed in the room again. “You may live if you do so.”

“You can’t force her to stay!” 

Branch decided that convincing this Prime Minister that Poppy would be the wrong choice of a leader would be more useful than battling with his bare fists. Even if he could stand some cuts and knowing that he was able to inflict damage on the guards, he couldn’t risk getting Poppy hurt. 

“She doesn’t want to. She wasn’t born to fit in here.”

“But you see… she fits so well.” The Prime Minister walked towards them, approaching from behind the guards. “She has all qualities of an Empress. Tell me if I’m wrong: she speaks with her eyes and listens with her heart.” 

Branch bit his tongue from a comeback. He didn’t want to admit it, but what the old man said was true. The Prime Minister smiled. “I know that she will understand with time.”

The guards moved forward to retrieve Poppy, but Branch held her tight to him. Branch’s futile struggle ended with a gash in his right arm and Poppy violently being teared from him. The scene that followed seemed to play in slow motion. He heard the swords singing as they were sheathed, his arm stung when he was held mercilessly on his deep wound, staining the guard’s uniform with blood. Branch fought with the last surge of energy he had. He kicked, he bit, he blew those trolls away with his hair, but he could do nothing but watch Poppy’s limp form being carried out of the room, with the crown still in place and the ring shining on her finger. 

After that four guards jumped on top of him and his strength diminished to the point of having to concentrate to breathe. They were crushing his lungs and slick blood formed a small puddle on the ground. 

“Poppy…” He choked. 

It had been a stupid idea. He had brought her on a dangerous trip, he put her on the front line and now she was being held hostage by some people they had only read a scrapbook about! King Peppy had been right. It was a stupid fantasy version of the real place. How could he think that a court that killed the Empress’s suitors was a nice place to visit?

“Do we take him to the _room_?” one of the guards asked and the other answered him. 

“No, we have specific orders to get rid of him.” 

The weight was lifted just when Branch thought was about to pass out. His sight darkened and he was pulled from the floor standing, wobbling on numb feet. Maybe he had lost too much blood. 

He was captured, two of the guards grabbed him by his arms and legs. Branch didn’t have any fighting spirit in his body anymore. He felt, half awake, as warm air became cold and clear light became dark. The marble ceiling was replaced by a starry sky and the Moon seemed to laugh at his uselessness. 

Branch wished he had been a better boyfriend, a better friend… if only he had the chance to do it all again, he would be Poppy’s best friend from the start, while they were still innocent kids running on top of a tree playing freeze-tag. He played the scene out in his head as the guards dragged him into the night. 

_She would giggle with her childish voice and use her short hair to try to reach for his ankle. He would laugh back, knowing that her efforts wouldn’t pay off, after all she was a couple of years younger and her short legs wouldn’t compare to his older, leaner ones._

_But she wouldn’t give up and would fiercely chase him around, freezing all their friends along the way, but never taking her playful eyes off him. He’d avoid and tease her, sticking his tongue out to make her mad._

_And then, she’d slip in the green moss and fall down with a yelp. She had been such a clumsy child so she’d probably cut her feet or sprain an ankle. Because everybody else was frozen, it would be up to him to rescue her with all the courage a five-year-old could muster._

_The corner of her wide eyes would burn with tears, but she would fight them to show him how brave she was. He would immobilize her feet with a twig and tear a piece of his shorts to tie them together._

_Then he would carry her to the nursery pod, on his back, supporting her all the way to the doctor. While she would wait for her dad to arrive and take her home, he would kiss her cheeks and tickle her tummy, making her laugh to forget the pain._

_“Branchie…” she would say in a tiny squeaky voice. “You’re my best friend.”_

_“You’re my best friend, too, Poppy.”_

_“Will you always be there for me?”_

_“I promise.” he would reply, finding her drama very amusing._

_“Don’t forget me, Branchie.”_

Branch felt his body being violently shaken and opened an eyelid to see what was going on. The guards had placed him in a sitting position. 

_How could he ever forget her? Even after his grandma had been eaten, he curiously watched how the King would show the Princess around and he was entranced by her colors. She was such a funny baby, so chubby that he couldn’t help but want to play with her._

His arms were jerked in front of him and he felt a rope being tightened around his wrists. The dried blood cracked as he was moved and the wound reopened. Thick warm liquid ran down his arm once more. 

_And her first kiss wouldn’t have been such a bad experience. He’d be the one to claim her lips and the one to protect her from nasty rumors. He’d show her how to dismiss opinions that didn’t favor her spirits._

_And her virgin lips would feel heavenly against his. They would be timid, coated with all the uncertainty that a first time would have. She would be nervous about her looks and she would think herself silly for putting on a different dress to get his attention. But he wouldn’t care because he’d think she would always look lovely._

He felt his ankles also being tied up, placed together in a way that he was unable to move. He was covered in sweat, his teal skin was aching with bruises from the blows he had gotten and whenever he’d inhale he could smell the faint strawberry perfume that lingered on his skin. 

_He’d cup her cheeks adoringly and trail his hands down to mold her body against his. She wouldn’t be scared at his forwardness because she’d have known him all her life. She would know that he had been in love with her since he realized what love was. His embrace would be gentle and familiar._

_It would all happen at her prom dance; it was going to be a memorable night and not one that she’d choose to isolate herself from, to avoid the thoughts of not having a date. He’d be her date. He’d choose her, always. He would be there from day one. He would be there from the first Hug Time and he’d only leave when she’d fall asleep at night._

_He wanted to be the one to make love to her._

_He wanted to be the father of her children._

He felt himself being lifted once more and closed his eyes tightly. It was coming to an end. Several hands carried him towards a place where the sound of waves crashing against rocks grew louder. He quieted his mind and waited. 

The next thing Branch felt was a ghostly kiss on his lips and the faint smell of her perfume seemed to envelope him in a kind spiritual embrace. He wasn’t afraid. His stomach lurched when all the hands let him go at the same time. 

He felt his body falling several feet. He hadn’t had such dizzying experience in his whole - and brief - life. The air was knocked out of his lungs when he crashed against the surface of the water, feeling like a thousand knives had pierced his body. 

It was too cold. 

He kicked his legs and jerked his arms, but it was all futile. He couldn’t breathe and the surface became distant as he sank deep into the dark ocean. 

The last thing he saw before completely losing consciousness was the rippling reflexes of the moon dancing its victory through the water, and a trail of red blood that stained the crystalline depths.

END PART ONE

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *author goes away whistling like nothing happened.*


	13. Pine

PART TWO

Branch heard voices around him. He couldn’t tell who was speaking, but it sounded urgent. His mouth felt dry and a stinging sensation on his left arm was almost unbearable. He couldn’t move properly. His sight was blurry and the light, even though it seemed dim - blinded his unused pupils. 

A few connections of the past events came to him like bubbling memories. He remembered the fall into the ocean. He remembered being cut with a sword. Poppy looked glorious in a white dress. 

Oh Hair… Poppy!

“No, Branch, don’t move.” 

The voice on his right was Dr. Moonbloom’s. It was one of the few voices he could recognize anywhere. He felt like he was still tied down, with hands holding his legs and arms keeping him still. “Just one more stitch…” 

He didn’t feel it, which meant that either he had lost the sensation in his arm or he had been given an anesthetic. If it was the latter, then he was back in Pop Village… 

Poppy was alone on the Island.

He struggled again and the hands tightened more. It was ridiculous. He felt completely helpless. Everything hurt, from his head to his toes and he couldn’t fight them off. 

“You’ll be okay, buddy,” a gentler voice sounded on his left and he turned his head to focus on a blue colored troll that offered him a reassuring smile. The hair was neon green and he was floating. The beat button by his side made the survivalist confused.

“King Trollex…?” 

The blue troll nodded, relieved to see that the Pop hero had a sound mind. 

“What…?” Branch asked.

The techno king quickly looked at Dr. Moonbloom who hummed in response; her eyes never leaving her meticulous work, and allowing Trollex to speak with her patient as she proceeded with the medical attention he needed. 

“I found you near Techno Reef,” Trollex explained, inching closer to make sure Branch focused only on him. “You were nearly dead, but we were fast in taking you out of the water.” 

“He’s awake!” 

The loud and surprised voice of Queen Barb filled the room. She had entered from a door with King Peppy following her in a hurry. The Snack Pack also showed up, crowding the room and disturbing the doctor. Barb half chuckled, 

“Man, don’t scare us like that!”

Slowly, the group filled the gaps in his memory. When he was left for dead, he was lucky enough that the current took him near the Techno Reef. A few techno trolls noticed him and called their King who immediately recognized Branch as the Pop Queen’s boyfriend. He was rescued and had his wounds attended to, while taken to the surface. The right thing to do was to take Branch back to the Village to have appropriate medical treatment, something that a pop kind of troll couldn’t have under the sea. 

The Beat button was given the task to go to the nearest Kingdom - in this case being Volcano Rock City - to find help. At first, Barb was confused with the amount of words the brisk button was spilling at her during her day off, but she arranged the fastest beetle to transport Branch back home. Both King and Queen combined their forces to rescue him and they were successful in delivering him in time to be saved.

It was a big fright for the pop trolls. The community asked about their Queen, but nobody had answers. They were all terrified that something bad had happened but, while the survivalist was unconscious, there wasn’t much they could do. A potential new enemy was considered and the children that were in the exchange program reported the events to the other tribes. Soon, the whole Kingdom was bubbling in alarm. 

Dr. Moonbloom finished tying his arm and instructed Branch to avoid keeping it down for too long to help the blood flow. Groaning and realizing he was hungry and thirsty, he sat on the surgery table, seeing at least a dozen eyes focusing on him. They didn’t want to ask - seeing the poor state the young troll was in - but they were in desperate need for answers. 

“Fine…” Branch’s voice sounded hoarse and a nurse gave him a glass of water, which he drank with gladness. “King Peppy… Poppy and I went to the Moon Island.” 

Several gasps were heard, some confused - because they had never heard of that place before - and some just quietly waited for him to proceed.

Branch swallowed hard against his dry sore throat. “...We just wanted to find the gift her mom had left her. I didn’t know…”

“Her mom…?” Barb repeated, arching an eyebrow in suspicion. 

“I didn’t know they would get her. I’d have never have gone in the first place, if I had known...” Branch looked down in shame. His eyes stung with the lack of tears from dehydration. He wanted to cry, but his eyes were dry. “I’m an idiot…”

“Young man…” King Peppy said. He was so serious that, for a moment, he reminded them of the fearless troll who had saved them all from the Bergens. “As soon as you get your strength back, come to my pod.” And he turned his back in an incredible display of self control, and left. 

“Hey, Branch…” Barb approached quietly, looking at the hopeless troll sitting down in anguish. She offered uncharacteristic gentleness by bending down to talk as discreetly as possible with him. “...What do you mean by Poppy’s mom?”

“... Barb…” Branch rubbed his eyes, getting angry with himself. “She’s the daughter of the Empress. We just thought it was all a stupid tale from King Peppy, but it looks like it was true.”

“Which Empress?” Trollex approached as well. “Is there another tribe?” 

“No… it’s complicated.” Branch didn’t feel like he had any rational thoughts left to explain what he had seen. 

“Well…” Seeing his lack of energy, Barb decided to speak what she knew. “Before my dad was king, there was a story about an Empress that administered the reigns. The leaders were allowed to meet her only when they were invited, and it would happen just when there was a conflict about to happen. It was a way to keep us from knowing each other.”

“Oh… now that you mentioned it…” Trollex tapped his cheek a few times. “I remember my grandpa went to seek help because our Reef got polluted once… many of us died of poisoning.” 

“Oooohhh, so it was  _ your _ tribe that made us move our summer vacations from the beach!” Barb growled in annoyance, but she immediately apologized for polluting the sea. “That was why my uncle never returned in the first place.”

“What happened to him?” Trollex asked, but they both looked at a beaten up Branch for their answer. It was pretty obvious that the survivalist had been lucky to be alive. 

“... My grandpa visited the Island and said there was a lignage of Empresses… my uncle got curious...” her voice trailed off, looking at Branch who accepted a bowl of soup from the nurse. The Queen of Rock feared that the fairy tale about the Moon Island and the actual situation were connected. Mysterious as the dark side of moon...

“But now that we’re on good terms again… there’s no need for someone to administer things for us,” Trollex completed. “Why would they keep Poppy?”

“It’s more than that, apparently…” Branch said, blowing a spoonful before slurping it. 

Everything in there was so… ethereal, so magical… if he tried to explain what he had seen and heard, it would sound like he had lost his mind. 

“They wouldn’t hurt her, would they?” it was Guy Diamond who asked, taking a step forward and reminding the three trolls that they weren’t alone in the room. 

“I don’t think so…” another sip of soup “... they seemed to care deeply for her.” They seemed to  _ need _ her. 

“Well… so we need to get back there and rescue our Queen,” Smidge said, showing her extremely strong arms in her petite body. 

“Undoubtedly, she needs to be rescued,” Branch said, finishing the soup and laying the bowl on the side table. “But… we need a strategy to go in there. They have guards… a lot of them. And swords,” he added after feelings pang in his wound. 

“Swords? Like medieval weapons?” It was Biggie who said that, looking like he was about to pass out. 

The heavy silence provided the reality of the situation. There was no way they could politely walk in and ask to have Poppy back. 

“I need to see King Peppy,” Branch announced, standing up. His knees immediately failed him and Trollex quickly moved forward to help him stand. 

“You need to rest, Branch,” Guy Diamond said. “If we’re going to save Poppy, you need to be in your best shape.”

How could they not understand that Poppy needed urgent rescue? How could he rest when she was locked in a tower, scared, thinking that he had abandoned her?! He would never be able to sleep again knowing the psychological torture she might be going through. He had promised he’d protect her. 

“At least, I need to speak with the King…” Branch breathed out, “He deserves a proper apology.” 

He took a step towards the exit, steading his feet on the ground the best way he could. He noticed purple bruises on his ankles and the soreness around them. He was all stiff like he had been run over by a train… or by several guards. 

“Hey, Branch…” Barb called and he turned his head just slightly to indicate he was hearing her. “We’ll back you up.” The queen of rock fired up. “My rockers, we’ll help you get there. You’ll have my fastest beetle.” 

Yeah… the Rock Queen had redeemed herself. 

With a grateful nod, Branch left the treatment room and limped towards King Peppy’s pod. It felt like everyone whispered when he passed. He was suddenly aware why he locked himself in the bunker for ten years. He hated the feeling that every eye was on him. He felt them moving as he walked, and the heavy awareness of being the center of attention made him feel like he couldn’t walk fast enough.

He couldn’t understand how Poppy enjoyed her popularity. Being Queen and simply having to be accessible and available full time was pure torture. It was no wonder she had had a hard time growing used to it. If the Moon Island had been inhabited by better people, then it would be the perfect refuge for her. If only…

His hair hurt, but he managed to reach it up and grab hold of the pod before jumping inside. With hair and scrapbooks scattered everywhere, Branch's immediate thought was about how he had lost hours of hard work helping the King to get everything cleaned only to be greeted with a mess again.

“Branch!” His future’s father in law's surprised voice was not the reception he was waiting for. Branch thought the King would be furious, madly loud, that he would have several condemnations for his behaviour. But, instead, he was greeted with concern and the offer of a chair to sit on, which was very welcomed. “I didn’t say for you to visit immediately.”

“I’m sorry, King Peppy.” Branch gladly accepted the chair and put both his bruised feet up on a small table that the King put in front of him. They throbbed painfully. “I couldn’t wait.”

“My boy…” The older troll looked worried. Not desperate, just worried. He stared at Branch intently for the longest time, as if trying to find his old General’s features mirrored in his son. The sincere attitude certainly was a very noble heritage. “I’m impressed you managed to arrive at the Island with that old map.”

“It wasn’t so hard,” Branch answered in reflex, not expecting the subject to be about the map. 

“Well… I assume Pine’s son would easily guide himself with his old man’s handwriting.” That was the kind of information that came out of the blue. Branch's eyebrows arched in surprise, and the survivalist put his hand on his pocket, retrieving the folded map. Peppy chuckled gently. “Don’t look so surprised, do you think I could be THAT accurate?” 

Well… taking from the King’s pod’s mess… no… 

“Sir…” 

“Listen, Branch,” King Peppy sat down next to him, looking very distressed, but keeping as calm as he could. Maybe years of being King made him conceal his fears when every other parent would normally be freaking out. That was what a royal training was for. If the leader showed vulnerability, his subjects would panic. Peppy continued, “I’m very disappointed that you both left without telling me, but I assume it was my daughter’s idea…” 

Branch wouldn’t tell on his girlfriend, of course, so he just smiled guilty and, with that, the King got the answer he needed.

“... And I can see that you didn’t run from the fight.”

“There were so many of them....” Branch felt another wave of despair rising. The heaviness, the air being knocked out of him, the wild thoughts of never seeing Poppy again. 

“I was pretty reckless when I was your age,” King Peppy said, looking up at the point where all hairs that formed the pod came together in a top swirl. A soft breeze blew from the door, moving the two trolls’ hairs to the side. “Once I was in the forest, searching for a good place to extract children from the Troll Tree… and a Bergen found me. I was sure it was going to be my end, but Pine jumped out of nowhere and struck him in the eye.” His mustache moved when he said that, with the memories making him smile. “I wanted to go after the Bergen, but Pine held me and said even with one eye hurt that monster could easily destroy us. It was smarter to retreat and return more prepared.” 

It was an obvious conclusion, Branch thought. He would have said the same. Live to fight another day. His old man’s habits lived in him, even if they hadn’t shared many memories. They had the same strategic kind of thinking. Startled, Branch looked at the old King when he stood up and moved to an old chest that hadn’t been touched during their cleaning. The orange troll looked around for a while and finally pulled a long object. It was heavy enough to be held with two hands, so, leaving his cane, he used his good leg to support his weight and walked back to Branch, to give him the wrapped object. 

It was really heavy. As the teal troll unfolded the fabric and the ropes that held them together, he realised exactly what he was holding. It was an old sword, protected with a scabbard. The hilt was long enough for a troll with big hands… just like his… 

“Is this…?” 

“It belonged to your dad,” King Peppy said, showing him a P marked on the grip. “I gave it to him as a gift when he became my General.” 

It was getting difficult to follow the King’s thoughts. Why did Peppy have his father’s sword with him? Curiously, Branch pulled the hilt to see the blade, but along with it, a few paper sheets fell on the ground. The King waited for the son of his best friend to pick it up and find out the contents by himself. 

_ My dear Lily settled her mind in helping us escape, but she wouldn’t leave the island. I tried to convince Pine to take her with us against her will, but he told me we had better chances of making it out of there if we did as she instructed us.  _

_ “Hide in the forest. Don’t let Poppy use her Moon blood or he will find her.” _

_ We rappelled down the balcony in the middle of the night. The egg was safe in my hair and Lily watched us with the saddest eyes. I felt her tears dropping on my arms and her face high above glowed with the Moon behind her. She rubbed that stupid ring that was around her finger, condemning her to her fate. _

_ Pine had stolen the only boat available, but we had to go. When we crashed into the first waves, lights lit up the entire castle. We heard sirens and a blinding light came from Lily’s room followed by a loud rumble of thunder.  _

_ Pink glitter showered on us like tiny snowflakes. The ocean got covered in a shiny layer of pink that glistened with the tide. I knew Lily was gone then. My heart wept and my lungs constricted. My Lily… my sweet Lily was no more.  _

_ If only that had been the hardest moment of our journey back.  _

_ Pine was silent and unrestfully rowed the whole night. He used the stars to guide his way back to the land - a trick I never learned but admired so much - and only now that I got the courage to sit down and write this, that I realize how deeply lost I felt, because I hugged Poppy’s egg all the way and never raised a hand to help him.  _

_ “Hey,” Pine said, coming from behind me. It was near dawn and I was sitting on the sand, looking at the ocean and wishing I had died with my Lily. “You will be a father now Peppy. Lily gave you the best gift she could. You’ll always have a part of her with you.” _

_ How could I argue with that? Pine had lost his wife not long after their egg had hatched. What would it make us? Two widowed trolls trying to raise their children in a world full of troll-eater beasts? And the single thought of it… of Poppy playing with Branch and the sound of their giggles somehow gave me strength. If Pine hadn’t given up, then neither would I. We would see our kids in a Bergen-free environment. They would be happy! _

_ My heart bled, but my mind was sound and focused on our mission. We had the permission to move from the tree. The tunnels were nearly ready and we would live to see better days.  _

_ “What is it that you want to see Poppy doing when we’re free?” Pine, in a rare display of relaxation, asked me while he cut the bushes out of the way so we could walk through.  _

_ “I don’t know… I’m just dying to meet her,” I looked at my orange and pink egg. The perfect mix of our skin tones colored the shell. “What do you want to see Branch doing?” _

_ “I made him a kite.” Pine’s face lit up with the thoughts of his son. “He’s been asking to play with it, but it’s too dangerous. I promised I’ll find a safe place for him to play with it. I can’t wait to see him running in a meadow.” _

_ “Branch is a very sweet kid.”  _

_ We must have talked about our plans for the future for hours. The sky was nearly setting once more when we stopped to rest. I had already the perfect plan in my mind: we’d get back, then I’d find the best place for us all to live with fresh air, clean water and great acoustics, while Pine finished the tunnels. Before Trollstice, we would carve our shapes in woods and leave strands of our hair to confuse the Bergens. We’d be out of there in no time, marching towards paradise before they could see us.  _

_ Unfortunately, that night, we were too tired, but we kept walking and it was the biggest mistake of our lives. Our brains got confused and we took the wrong detour. We stepped into a tarantapuff’s nest and the smell of Poppy’s egg electrified them with hunger. We were only two trolls with a delicious snack… and there were more than fifty spiders.  _

_ We ran for our lives. Pine stayed behind, fighting the ones that got closer. He sliced one in half and another that tried to jump us was blown away by a hair-jitsu chop. They hissed and we ran and ran. I heard their legs moving raptly behind us.  _

_ My heart stopped when we came to halt on a cliff with a lava river below us. We had reached the border between Rock and Pop lands, but we weren’t on the safe bridge. Instead, in front of us, was a poorly made wooden passage that stood only with rotten ropes. Both of us couldn’t cross it at the same time. One would have to stay until the other reached the other side.  _

_ “Hurry, my King!” Pine said, taking a wide stance as he withdrew his blade from its scabbard. It glowed in front of him as if it was as ready to fight to death like my General was.  _

_ “I’m not leaving you, Pine. We’ll cross it together or we die together.” _

_ “Listen to yourself!” Pine jumped and came down to take a tarantapuff’s head off and shifted around cutting another one across the chest. “You have a daughter!” _

_ “You have a son!” _

_ “He’s not here now! Your baby is!” _

_ I was livid that he had made an irrefutable point, so I could only do as he said. He was my General after all. If I didn’t obey the only person who lived to protect me; who was the smartest troll I had ever met, then I would be a plain idiot and I’d disrespect his efforts.  _

_ I repeated to myself many times that night, when I finally dropped to my knees in exhaustion and was left alone in a safe part of the forest with Poppy’s egg in my hands, that I had made the right choice. That it was what Pine wanted me to do.  _

_ The moment I finished crossing the bridge, I saw my friend taking some severe blows. A spider put a leg on the bridge, ready to cross it after me, but Pine jumped up and sliced it in half. My friend gave me a lopsided smile and I panicked. I knew what it meant. He stood straight and picked his sword with his right hand and tossed it in the air. It spinned out across the bridge and landed on my foot.  _

_ “Cut the ropes!” Pine commanded.  _

_ “Come over first!” I yelled back, but he pulled another small knife from his pocket to defend himself from the exponentially growing amount of spiders. He turned his back to the peril and used his only defense to cut the rope on his side. He knew I wouldn’t be able to leave him unless… “Pine, you idiot!” I bellowed desperately. _

_ “Take care of Branch for me, okay?” And with that, Pine turned to face his fate.  _

_ The spiders jumped up, coming down on him like a rehearsed group attack. Pine didn’t make a sound; he stood firmly until he was completely covered by them. And I cowardly ran and ran until my feet bled and my lungs burned.  _

_ A found a crystalline river, but my thirst couldn’t be satiated with water. I had lost my wife, my best friend and my entire tribe would soon be snacks for Bergens. The only thing that I had left was Poppy’s egg and a crown; a crown that I didn’t deserve, on my hair.  _

_ A crack came from my hands and I looked down. My eyes were so filled with tears that I had to blink them away to see that the egg had started to move. My heart skipped a beat and I stood up.  _

_ “My daughter! She’s being born!” I called, looking around, but nobody was there to witness it. I was alone with a baby that kept kicking the shell, certain that it was time to come out. “C’mon, baby girl, you can do it.” _

_ And she kicked with vigor. Her tiny pink foot broke the shell and came to view. I was in awe. She had the cutest little foot and her skin tone was just like Lily’s. My chest tightened. Lily should have met her.  _

_ Another foot came out and I was desperate to help her, but I had heard that the babies are supposed to fight their way out. I just picked the broken pieces of the shell and threw them out of the way as she kept struggling. Her tiny hand was next and in no time her beautiful pink hair sprouted free. Her alert magenta eyes immediately focused on me, as if recognizing that I was her dad.  _

_ Her smile was the sweetest of candies.  _

_ “My dear Poppy. My little princess.” _

Branch understood why the pages had been ripped from the original scrapbook. He couldn’t stop the tears himself. The wetness had stained the words and tried to wipe them, making a mess and almost cutting himself with the sharp blade that was still on his lap. 

“I’m sorry, King Peppy, I’ll clean it.”

“Branch…” His future father-in-law stopped him with his wrinkled hands. “It’s okay…” 

The young troll finally let go of all the heaviness, of all the suffocating thoughts about his father. His primitive memories that had made up an imaginary version were now corrected, and Branch saw that his father had been someone he would be eternally grateful for. 

And King Peppy… the man had gone through his share of bad moments. He still managed to save everyone, he had found strength to keep going even when his world had shattered. 

Branch cried like he had never cried in his life. His fingers gripped the King’s arms, feeling the closest he’d ever get to a father’s hug. 

And Poppy… dear Poppy had nothing to do with the mess he had gotten them involved with. If only he had talked first, then he’d have found the rest of the story and she wouldn't have been kidnapped. 

It was his duty to save her. He couldn’t let her stay on that island another minute. 

“I need to rescue her…” Branch sobbed weakly. King Peppy nodded, but made sure the young troll actually listened to what he had to say. 

“Poppy is fine.” His voice sounded strong and grave, like he had never retired. “They won’t hurt her. She’s too precious.” Branch opened his mouth to voice a protest, to point out that she might be scared. But Peppy was adamant. “I need you to be strong to lead the mission. So your job now is to get better as soon as possible, and I’m sure that in no time Poppy will be back with us.”

“But…”

“Besides,” the older troll put his hands on his sides, looking like he was in a lighter mood. “Don’t you know my daughter by now? She’s probably hatching a plan to get out of there on her own. Give her some credit.”


	14. Dandelions

The last piece of scab that formed over the deep cut and around the stitches came off when Branch sat down on the beetle that Barb had lent him. The skin was sensitive and he felt it tugging with small movements, but it was considered completely healed. He still felt the muscle was weak, because the damaged internal fibers would take longer to heal - according to Dr. Moonbloom - but he had delayed the rescue for too long. His mind and his heart hammered with each passing Hug Time he was away from his Queen. . 

Branch never considered himself a popular troll. Years of isolation had done some good for his privacy and anonymous life; perhaps the infamous grump would always be how people would refer to him, but that certainty shattered on the ground when colorful creatures came out of their pods to watch him leave for the rescue mission. 

Branch saw the first troll coming while he was talking with Barb and King Peppy. He didn’t mind the audience, but when he turned once again, three more trolls were standing there, staring at him worriedly. He waved a quick ‘hello’ with the usual uneasiness he felt whenever he was the center of attention, then returned to his work, tying some ropes and rappel hooks in case he needed to climb his way up to the tower. 

Ten… twenty… fifty trolls had gathered around him and their smothering stares were impossible to ignore. 

“Mr. Branch…” A small child came forward, pulling his shorts to get his attention. “You will bring Poppy home, right?”

“We are rooting for you, Branch,” another troll said with a hopeful smile. 

“T-thanks... “ Branch was taken off guard. All those eyes looked at him expectantly as if they were sure that he’d succeed in his quest and bring their queen home safe and sound. It was like a small inspiring glass of good wishes that had been offered him. Somehow, seeing that they were all positive he would have a triumphant return, made him believe in it himself. “I’ll do everything I can, I promise.”

The black and yellow beetle buzzed in excitement, spreading its wings so he could take off flying after a quick warm up. 

“Branch… remember to be discreet,” King Peppy said while taking a few steps back to allow the teal troll to take off. 

“I will, King Peppy.” 

Fast, precise and quiet like a ninja. Involuntarily, Branch reached for his side and felt his father’s blade securely on his belt. He had never felt his spirit so strongly present before. Branch was protected; he had inherited his father’s strategist thoughts. He could do it!

“Are you ready?” Queen Barb asked, mounting her own beetle. Her courage had taken Branch aback at first, but after a quick nod, both rescuers took off into the forest, with Barb following the young warrior along the path he had previously walked on. 

The rescue mission had been planned like a surgery. It was supposed to not cause damage at all. Barb was going to wait for both Branch and Poppy at the beach with Riff and Carol, but first she had informed the medical center in Volcano Rock City to be prepared with first aid and to have emergency rooms ready to receive the pop leaders in case they got hurt. 

Trollex and Bliss Marina would be waiting for them to help sail through the water in the right direction, since they couldn’t use the official Moon Island boat. The techno King knew the ocean like the back of his fin and had mapped all the currents that would make it easier for them to arrive at the misty place without getting lost. He also would wait to help to extract them. 

It left Branch to invade on his own and, like Peppy had suggested, as discreetly as possible. In the dark of the night, Branch knew Poppy would be in her room, so the climb to the balcony had to be very silent. He just needed to worry about her happy squeals once she spotted him… oh well… it was nothing a mind-blowing kiss wouldn’t solve. 

Their beetles flew left and right, dodging trees and spiderwebs. Accidently, Barb bumped on a mushroom causing a different type of beat and asked for Branch to hold back a little. Confusedly, he held the beetle and watched as the Rock Queen tried beating the colorful fungi with a stick. The sound was pretty amusing, almost like a percussion instrument and she quickly harvested it, placing it on her back before resuming their trip. 

“What was that about?” Branch asked in curiosity. 

“Oh nothing, just an inspiring sound, ya know,” she answered, deep in thought. “We’re trying to come up with new stuff.”

“New-” he quickly pulled to the side to avoid hitting a twig, “-stuff?”

“Our bands aren’t like they used to be, man!” Barb explained, seeing how the colorful flowers and green leaves were left behind as they entered the rock territory that was filled with dark, leafless trees. It was a big difference in their views. The landscape wasn't nearly as breathtaking as the Pop’s. “We have been re-writing music for more than a decade. One or two trolls have actually composed something new, but for the most part, I’m tired of listening to the same songs.”

Branch thought about repeating the story he heard from the Prime Minister. That the Empress’s job was to produce inspirations for new songs. Without one for so many years their creativity was going through a drought and, in the back of his head, he pondered what would happen if there never was to be another Empress. 

Would they ever run out of songs? Oh - the Hair with it! - the trolls would have to make an effort to create their own music, but there was no way he’d allow Poppy to live in such a place to make everyone’s lives easier. 

It was incredibly fast and less scary to cross the lava river on the back of the steady insects. Barb even stood up and threw the new found mushroom to another rock troll who had come closer to check if everything was okay with their trip. Barb ordered him to take the new ‘instrument’ to her dad to keep until she returned

Riff and Carol joined them with the angler bus. Apparently - and rightfully - Barb considered it safer to take a more steady mode of transportation in case they needed shelter. Branch was impressed with the amount of thought she had put on their plan and how committed she was to it. It didn’t go unnoticed by the observant teal troll that the Rock Queen had seemed to get attached quite fast to Poppy. 

It could be the circumstances that the girls were raised, with queenly duties knocking on her doors too early in their lives, or the lack of friends who could share the weight of carrying the kingdom on their backs. Superficial friendships and the few people to whom they could truly open up to seemed to connect the queens.

The half day trip to the beach after the Rock lands was completed in less than two hours. With their fast beetles the whole three days walking got reduced to a single day of flight. Of course, Branch refusing to stop to eat or drink had got them there even faster.

When they arrived, Trollex and Bliss Marina were already waiting for them at the water, with a small capsule that would fit three trolls inside. It wasn’t exactly a submarine, because it didn’t move on its own, it had to be pulled like an underwater chariot. 

“The tide around the island got soothing waves again.” the Techno King informed them. “It won’t take long for us to cross the south current.” 

Bliss Marina tied one of the ropes around her shoulders and tested the weight. Branch took everything from the beetle and put it inside the capsule, hearing a different rhythm the red techno girl was humming. It was quite interesting.

“Is it new?” Trollex asked her, while tying the rope around himself as well. 

“Yeah,” she answered in excitement. “It just came to me.” She made a series of sounds like beats. “Cool, huh?We should try it at the next party.”

“We should!” He agreed before turning to Branch who had just sat down inside the capsule and closed the glass door on top of him. “You ready?” Giving him both thumbs up, Trollex nodded fiercely and dove into the sea, leaving the rock trolls behind. 

Under the surface everything was different. The absence of sound made Branch wonder if that was the kind of paradise he should have searched for when he wanted to isolate himself. Colorful fish swam by the capsule, looking at the odd creature inside. They spilled rainbows from their backs and the pop troll would have paid more attention to them if his stomach wasn’t turning in a tight knot as they approached the island. Soon he’d be on his own. 

The bottom of the ocean seemed to come up, like they were climbing a hill from underwater. The distance from the ground to the surface shortened and the fluffy sand got replaced by the sight of dark and mossy stones. They stopped just before they broke out the water. 

“We’re hiding here,” Trollex explained. They were near a line of stones and sand that formed a silver coral reef. It wasn’t colorful or seemed to be alive, instead it looked metallic, like it was painted underwater. “The bridge is that way,” he pointed to the right, “it’s almost time the boat sails so we’re staying here until you return with Poppy.”

“Great. Thank you!” 

They raised the capsule just enough so Branch could open it and jump into the water. They sank again and the teal troll noticed it was already getting dark. It was perfect to go inside without getting any attention. He marked the spot on the sand with a big shell and tiptoed his way up the stairs, tracing the same way he had gone through before with his girlfriend. 

He had expected more white guards to be around, but there weren’t any. Instead, the place seemed even more deserted than before. The atmosphere had changed, though. Instead of the old abandoned feeling, the air seemed lighter and cleaner. The cracks on the castle walls were gone, like they had the time to fix the fissures in less than a week. 

Peeking through a window, Branch saw the kitchen staff working with a gaiety that seemed out of place. Their smiles and cheerfulness were so wide and high that they even sang and danced while baking and mixing doughs. It was insanely surreal for him. 

It got darker, which was better for Branch, since his colors would be more easily camouflaged in the night, and he used his hair to move from bush to bush until he reached the opposite end of the castle. His primary idea was to climb directly to her balcony, snatch her away and quickly get out of there, but a few notes and different tunes were suddenly heard from the ground level, and his heart alerted him that his loved one was in the Creation Room. 

Another quick peek inside and he found the corridor that led to that marvelous room was completely empty. He slipped one strand of hair inside the window to strategically pull the lock. With a small push, Branch opened the glass and jumped inside in silence. 

_ “If I die young bury me in satin _

_ Lay me down on a bed of roses _

_ Sink me in the river at dawn _

_ Send me away with the words of a love song _

_ Uh oh uh oh” _

It was her voice! Her nearness made his breathing shallow. All he had to do now was to show her he had come to her rescue. With the tip of his toes he peered inside the room and found her pink form, looking exquisite in a white dress, reading the lyrics and fixing them with a small silver pen. He needed extreme willpower not to just jump inside and hug her there and then.

  
  


_ “The sharp knife of a short life, _

_ Well I've had just enough time _

_ So put on your best boys, and I'll wear my pearls” _

That was the most un-Poppy like song he had ever heard. He didn’t even have the time to understand why she’d sing something like that, or if she was sad to the point of thinking that her life was ending, because at that moment the unmistakable voice of the Prime Minister snapped Branch out of his thoughts – sounding cheerful and clapping enthusiastically.

“Excellent song, your Grace,” he was sitting down in a corner of the room, with his back turned towards the door. Branch crouched behind a statue just outside, hiding the best he could. At least no guard was spotted so far. “I’m sure that fills the Country Trolls quota for the weekend.”

“I think Country Trolls need happier songs,” Poppy blurted out. “Times are changing…”

“Nonsense. It has always been like that. Country trolls enjoy singing sad songs! Now…” he flipped a few papers, checking a few items on the list. “Just one piece for the Classical Trolls and you can get some rest.”

The survivalist had to hold the urge to growl. That back-stabber was making Poppy work hard! It was late and if she was tired, she was supposed to rest and not just start composing another piece immediately after finishing another! Branch paused a moment as he glared at the Prime Minister. He swore he looked less wrinkled since he last saw him. Considerably even, almost thirty years younger! Poppy spoke again, snapping Branch out of his thoughts.

“Maybe… something with a Cello…” She sounded tired, but it didn’t seem like she was doing anything against her will. It was quite the opposite, she positioned herself with the instrument and started playing a piece so beautiful that Branch felt the air leaving his lungs. Her eyes were closed, her hands slid the chords, touching them with a mastery he didn’t know she possessed. 

Then something started to shine in front of her and Branch moved a little out of his hiding place to take a better look. It was a small white dandelion that was being filled with one shiny pappus, right in the middle, around hundreds of others. He noticed that the tiny white and fuzzy piece grew as the tune progressed, until it looked as tall as the others, completely filling the small delicate plant. 

The Prime Minister stood up then, slowly walking towards Poppy, who didn’t seem to notice or care about his proximity. Branch’s stomach twisted from watching it. The old yellow troll with purple hair leaned down, picking up the dandelion with a smirk. He closed his eyes and breathed deeply. His hair curled and his back got straighter, as if he was given an extra strength and energy just by inhaling its perfume

The classical music ended and, once more, the Prime Minister clapped. The shine in the plant faded, making it look like an ordinary seed head once again. Poppy looked completely drained, and for the first time Branch saw the old maid right behind her, taking the Cello to hang it in its place. His breathtaking girl stood up, taking the small dandelion in her hands and walked to the window. Branch didn’t miss a single move: she raised it to her lips and blew the seeds into the night, seeing them shine brightly under the moonlight. 

“Find your way to a willing heart,” she whispered to them as they disappeared, each taking a different direction. 

“May I escort you to your chambers tonight?” The Prime Minister offered her his arm and, to Branch’s surprise, Poppy took it with a faint and tired smile. It wasn’t the scenario he had pictured. He imagined she’d be fighting them, being locked up and crawling her way through the walls in desperation. 

His heart clenched when he thought that maybe she had given up because she had liked the place… because she had chosen to stay permanently. 

There was only one way to find out. Hiding behind the tapestry, he had to fight an itch on his nose to avoid sneezing. He moved as quickly as he could, climbing the wall from behind the staircase before a very enthusiastic Prime Minister led the tired Empress upstairs. It took Branch years of silent sneaking around the village at night to master the art of being invisible, and he had never been so glad for that ability until that moment. 

It was incredibly easy to sneak inside her room when nobody thought he was alive in the first place, let alone think he had the nerve to go back. The best place to hide was under her bed. With the long sheets completely covering it until the hem touched the ground, it was possible to stay in there until it was safe to come out in a dazzling surprise. 

“I suppose we should understand that everybody is living in harmony now that the tribes are united,” Poppy said, entering the room with the old and annoying man on her heels. 

“It won’t take long until they start fighting, your Grace,” he said. “They can’t manage the kingdoms on their own.”

“I hope they can. If they inspire each other maybe I will be free.” Poppy yawned, but the man didn’t get the hint to leave her alone. It was the maid’s turn to enter and walk straight to the bathroom to fill up the tub for her. She pushed open a big curtain that let the moon shine directly on the water. 

“Go and recharge, your Grace. I’ll send you breakfast at 7am,” the Prime Minister bowed down and walked towards the door and left, closing it behind him. Branch cursed that the maid remained. 

Poppy’s pink feet walked towards the bed and he saw the mattress moving down as she sat on the edge. If only he could touch her then… 

“Can you tell me more about my mom?” Poppy asked and the maid chuckled while going through her wardrobe. 

“I think I told you everything you needed to know, your Grace," the woman avoided a straight answer and Poppy stood from the bed. 

"Did she ever leave the Island?" Poppy insisted with a kind of cheerfulness that was naive and a contrast to her mood from before.

"No, your dear mother never knew the misfortune of life outside." 

Branch watched when Poppy dropped her dress on the floor and he immediately gulped. The sound of straps and elastic were followed by bras and panties on the ground as well. It suddenly got too hot inside that room. “You are protected here.”

"Was she ever in love?" he heard a loud crash from inside the bathroom and Poppy stepped out of her dress, rushing to the maid. "Are you okay?"

"I was just clumsy, I'm sorry." 

"Well, was she?" Poppy insisted and the sound of water splashing was heard next. Poppy had gotten inside the tub. 

"I've told you, your Grace, falling in love is forbidden - don't wet your hair, please..." 

As Branch listened he understood that the woman was more than a maid. She washed, she cleaned, she dressed the Empress and she had her ears trained to pick troublesome subjects. 

"I sing about love all the time…"

"That's for others to feel and for you to inspire." 

“Then… why do I feel like there’s an ocean of love inside me and no one to pour it out to…?”

There was a long silence and the only sound was the running water and gentle scrubbing of skin and hair combing. Branch knew Poppy too well to figure she was in deep thought, trying to find a reason for the pile of nonsense she had just heard. 

“How.... did she die?” 

The maid took a sharp intake of breath, certainly surprised at the morbid subject and the peculiar curiosity coming from the young Empress. 

“She… lost her mind.” And once again the old woman avoided the answer Poppy wanted to hear. From what Branch could understand from what King Peppy wrote, she had put an end to her own life, to buy them time to escape from the island. It was a heavy subject, but his girlfriend deserved to know the truth. 

"Could you leave me alone tonight?" Poppy’s plea was quiet, her voice wavered as if she was about to break down crying. "I promise I'll finish my hair."

"If that's your wish, your Grace…" 

It took the woman several minutes to walk around the room, fix the sheets -which caused Branch to hold his breath - and to fluff her pillows before walking out. 

The sounds outside were slowly diminishing, but he could still hear people walking around, patrolling the corridors and snooping around every corner. He couldn't walk out then, if Poppy gasped loudly at the sight of him a dozen guards would burst into the room. He couldn’t risk her getting hurt.

More splashes and Poppy walked back into the room, crossing it while dripping water everywhere. Her pretty feet and ankles were everything in his sight but it was enough to make his blood ardently pulse for her. 

She entered the closet and he heard her trying a dress that wasn't meant to be worn in bed. The sound of twirling and brisk steps alone told him she was playing with her mother's clothes. Probably dancing around, pretending she was in a ball or somewhere filled with trolls. She was desperate for socialization. That monotone island was torture for a spirit full of festivity.

"I wonder…" Paper flipped and she returned to the bed. "... if it's true you've never loved anyone..."

Poppy opened the balcony doors with vigor, the noise of the ticking of the clock was noticed for the first time as a sign that things were quieting down. No steps were heard from outside, no clacking of leather boots or the grinding of blades. 

"Mama… I wish I could have met you…" 

Branch’s heart broke at the sound of her voice. He knew the kind of loneliness she was feeling, they shared the adversity of not meeting a parent and having a cloudy past to figure out. Their parents were people with dreams and hopes, they gave them up for a greater purpose and to keep their children safe. 

Branch turned on his stomach, under the bed and lowered his face to the ground to watch what she was doing. The book he had found on that fateful day was on top of her vanity and she was outside, looking at the Moon that made her skin glimmer like it was lightening up itself. 

The ethereal feeling was back. He felt the heaviness of his heart being lifted. Poppy closed her eyes and irradiated a healing feeling, as if she could infiltrate into his soul; clean it up, kiss his internal wounds better and leave. That combined with the sight of her, with a dress so white and so smooth, made of the finest silk and pearls… and her hair! It floated behind her with the breeze. It was so full and so curly that he had to take a moment to understand that it was really her.

She had dressed up for the moon. 

Her strawberry perfume invaded the room and he took a deep soothing breath. She was fine, unharmed and not one bit desperate as he had thought. He couldn’t fathom the reason behind her behavior, but as the light shone brightly upon her, and she soaked herself in it, he had a feeling that she learned a new trick. 

Was she doing what her mother did?

It was time to be her knight in shining armour. It was time to go and burst her out of that tower with a victorious move, it was time to see her happy tears and get a kiss in return. 

Branch carefully crawled out from under the bed, and even if his heart screamed at him to go and hug her, first he took the rope out of his hair and tied it safely on the first banister, making sure it wouldn’t fail under their weight. He tested the length, seeing it fall perfectly until it almost touched the grass. 

It was such a beautiful night. 

He carefully picked the book that her mother had gifted her and placed it securely in his hair. He took one more look around the room, knowing that they wouldn’t see it again. In the end, he mused, things sort of went as he wanted them to go. He found out more about his father, Poppy had gotten the gift her mother had left her, and both knew more about where they came from. 

Branch turned his full attention to the glorious girl on the balcony. Her eyes were closed and her lips held a content smile. She was so breathtaking that he had to hold himself together for a moment. It was like he had forgotten how to speak. His mouth moved, but the sound didn’t come out. Even his knees had weakened, as if he was going to introduce himself to her for the first time. It was so insane, they had been around each other their whole lives, they had kissed and they were so close to making love not a week ago. Why would he feel so nervous?

He took another step towards her, allowing his feet to make a quiet noise. It was enough to make her aware of his presence. 

Things seemed to happen in slow motion after that. First, she turned her head, then, noticing she wasn’t alone, she turned her full body towards him. The front of the dress was a low cut and he saw the ring with the white stone on her finger. Blue met magenta for what seemed an eternity of waiting, of wanting, of hoping. 

He raised his arms and took another step, but his smile died on his lips as her forehead wrinkled in a frown and she distanced herself from him with a surprised, but quiet gasp. Did she think he was a ghost? He had to touch her to show that he was very much alive. 

Maybe it was the sword that scared her, but soon he’d explain everything that had happened while he was gone. 

Another step and her back touched the balustrades, grinding herself against them dangerously. A hand raised to her chest and her hair flew forward, covering part of her scared face. Branch felt fear rising and used his own hands to show her that he meant no harm, that they would get out of there safe and sound. All they had to do was to keep quiet. 

“Poppy…” he whispered so lowly that he wasn’t sure she had heard it. But she had, and the sound of her name coming out of his lips made her lines turn from scared to surprised. Her back straightened, but she still didn’t dare approach him. Branch was sure she would understand and forgive him for leaving her, but what she said next turned his world upside down:

“Who are you?”


	15. Underground

_Poppy opened her eyes slowly, feeling her body numb like she had too much to drink. Her mouth tasted of wine and she remembered feeling sick while dining with Branch and the Prime Minister._

_Trying to move her arm, Poppy found it restrained and looked down, seeing her hands and legs tied up while she sat on a chair. Looking around, Poppy noticed she was in the middle of the balcony attached to her mother’s old room and there was nothing but a soft breeze to keep her company._

_“I don’t understand why you’d kill him,” the maid’s voice sounded just outside the door and Poppy turned her face in time to see the double doors busting open._

_“Like I’d keep him and risk her remembering him,” the Prime Minister said, looking furious. “I’ve learned my lesson with her father.”_

_A bright light suddenly shone down on Poppy, blinding her until her eyes adjusted. It came directly from the moon and she felt her body getting lighter, like she could float away and its calmness._

_“Oh, you’re awake,” the Prime Minister said, taking a few steps until he was standing in front of her. “Quite a strong girl, I see.”_

_“Where’s Branch?” Poppy asked hazily. Her mind tried to focus on her boyfriend, but it seemed her energy was being taken away. She couldn’t fight it… She was drawn to the moon. “Untie me, please.”_

_“I can’t do that, your Grace. I need to fix you first,” the Prime Minister’s words made no sense to her at all. She felt herself being hit by a sudden panic, like her body was prevented from breathing properly. Poppy felt wet and cold._

_Was Branch drowning?_

_“You see, there’s two of you,” the Prime Minister said, walking around. The maid combed her hair, adjusting her crown in place. “While the Pop Queen is awake, the Empress sleeps. I’ll have to flip that coin.”_

_Poppy barely concentrated on the two trolls that kept her tied up. Her soul reached for Branch, breathing as much air into him as she could, begging him to stay alive._

_“It’s the Empress’s magic that keeps us here. We were on the verge of losing hope when you walked in,” the old troll got her attention back and Poppy frowned at his words._

_“What did you do to Branch?” Poppy struggled against her ties, uselessly._

_“He’s dead,” the Prime Minister gave her a smug smile, like he was proud of himself when panic washed over her. “Oh, but soon you’ll be as good as dead, too.”_

_“Don’t fight it, darling,” the maid whispered in her ear just as the moonlight became unbearably bright again._

_“The Pop Queen will be sealed in the dark side of the moon. Let the empress awake!”_

***

Everything happened fast, Branch could barely understand how he could explain the chain of events that occurred. He had half a second to understand her question - her very real and sincere question - before her face paled and she opened her mouth in a blood chilling scream. 

The doors downstairs busted open and the deafening sound of hundreds of feet climbing up the staircase made Branch go into survival mode. Poppy ran outside her room, in panic, and he followed her, not knowing what to do but to keep their promise from the previous days: never leave each other alone. 

He noticed he was incredibly more agile than the last time, as if he was inspired by an unknown force that served as a guide of when he should move, run and dock. He caught up with her in the middle of the glass hallway that connected the towers. One side there were marble walls, on the ground, silver carpet, on each end guards started approaching with their blades in hand. Above, the arches and chandeliers with their outstanding art… it only left him with one way out. 

Poppy stood a few feet away from him, with her knees bent and breathing heavily because of the run. The guards approached her from behind as she stood facing him, frightened and weakly. It horrified him to see that look on her face and it was even worse that it was directed at him. 

“You!” The voice of the Prime Minister echoed through the hall, making Branch instinctively reach for his own sword; he didn’t draw it so he wouldn’t scare the shaking girl right in front of him. 

They had to go. 

“I’m so sorry, Poppy.” 

The world stopped. 

Her eyes widened and Branch broke in the fastest running he had ever done in his life. Even his rational side had silenced at his decision. There was no other choice. So, he wrapped his arms around her protectively and used his hair to take impulse with the wall. The pads on his elbows broke the glass windows causing small lacerations on his arms. With a speeding mind, he made his hair close around them both in a ball, breaking their fall when they landed. The impact still caused a severe pain on their joints, but nothing that would keep him from getting away. 

“You’re insane!” he heard Poppy saying as she tried running away from him. He couldn’t have that happening, so, against his better judgement, Branch caught her with his hair, feeling her struggling, and ran as fast as he could towards the spot on the beach where he had marked with the shell. “Let me go!”

“This is not the time, Poppy!” he yelled at her, skating down the stone steps and causing his feet to bleed with the pointy ends. He barely felt them, because his full attention was on the white guards that were running after them.

Trollex was already on the surface, with the capsule open and waiting for them. The commotion must have warned him that they were on their way. 

“Go!” Branch screamed, barely closing the door before they were already underwater. The two techno trolls sped, living up to their fish nature. He had a few minutes to catch his breath inside the capsule while they were safely transported to the mainland. “Poppy?” he whispered gently, unwrapping his hair from around her. 

She had stopped fighting, realizing there was no use because he was so much stronger and faster than she’d ever be. Instead, she was curled up in a ball, breathing heavily with a wheezing sound. Branch knew that too well, being in that position so many times during his isolation years; she was trying to control a panic attack. 

“It’s me…” as if hearing his voice would make her magically come back to her old self, he tried touching her shoulder, but she shuddered and bent forward even more, completely hiding herself. His heart felt like it was bleeding. She whimpered and he retracted his hand. 

From all things he had expected in that extraction mission, finding a shocked Poppy wasn’t one of them. 

“You’ll be fine,” he reassured her, not really knowing if she wanted to be reassured of anything. 

“Take me back,” she pleaded in an almost inaudible voice. 

“You’ll be home soon. I promise, Poppy,” that made her open an eye and peek at him from between her fingers. 

“How do you know my name?” curiosity slowly got stronger than her fear, and she pushed herself from the ground to sit up as far from him as possible. Her eyes narrowed in suspicion. “You’re not a suitor, are you?” 

How confused was she?

It seemed that the peril wasn’t over. The capsule shook abruptly and they looked up. Trollex and Bliss Marina stopped swimming to look at the surface, where several fast boats sped up towards the shore, drawing several bubble lines on the water. The techno trolls remained unmoving and exchanged a look before addressing the pop trolls inside the capsule. 

“It looks like they’ll use all their power to get Poppy back,” they missed the happy and hopeful look on the pink girl’s face. “If we drop you at the beach you’ll be captured.” 

Branch opened the map, agreeing with his friend and tried to find a way to get back to the bunker from underwater. There must be a way that connected all streams, after all, all rivers ended in the sea. 

“I have an idea.” Trollex said, swimming closer and still looking up at another line of boats that passed by them. “There’s a cave, underground, that leads to Volcano Rock City; It was shut down many years ago, but I’m sure you can use it.”

“A cave is too dangerous…” Branch pointed out. He didn’t want to expose Poppy to any more hostile situations. 

“Walking above ground is way more threatening, my friend,” indeed, with hundreds of guards seeking for them, it was unlikely they would make it back to Pop Village in one piece. Seeing no further resistance, Trollex changed directions and swam towards a wall of underwater rocks, where the light from the surface didn’t shine and things got creepily dark. 

The heavy breathing from a nearly panicking Queen by his side was everything that Branch could hear as he focused his attention on trying to see anything other than the blackness that surrounded them. His internal navigator pointed out when Trollex stopped swimming and pushed the capsule to float upwards until they reached a bubble of air. 

“You can open the capsule now,” the Techno King said, using a glow stick to illuminate their surroundings. 

The cave wasn’t tall, but it was enough to comfortably walk through. They steadied the capsule so Branch could jump out, getting knee deep into the water. Poppy kept her mouth shut and it was obvious that she wasn’t going to collaborate at all. 

“Is she okay?” Trollex whispered to Branch who just shook his head in response. “I’m off to tell Barb about the change of plans. It’s a straight way, there’s no bifurcations, but it’s a long walk,” the survivalist was so grateful for the loyal friends that he felt like he couldn’t express his gratitude enough; “Good luck, man,” Trollex motioned his head to a sobbing Poppy who was still stubbornly sitting down inside the capsule. 

Branch waited until both techno trolls completely left them alone to use his hair to grab Poppy and walk to the dry rocks. The glow stick was the only source of light aside from his hair.

“I’m not going with you!” she yelled, breaking free from his hair and jumping back into the water. Branch watched as she dove, trying to swim away on her own, but he just crossed his arms and tapped his foot. Ten seconds later she broke out on the surface looking more scared than ever. 

It was pitch black down there. 

“Poppy, please…” he begged, trying to help her out of the water just to have his hand slapped away. “What happened to you?” was there even a point asking? Did she remember anything at all?

“You kidnapped me, that’s what happened!” she spun around, opening her arms as if it was obvious. 

Branch’s heart squeezed painfully at that. She was serious. The sincere fear in her eyes cleared the suspicion that it was just shock. She had meant every word. Her exasperation was truthful. Poppy - the love of his life - had completely forgotten about him and even worse: she was seeing him as an enemy. 

“I swear…” his voice broke when he tried to touch her and she shuddered as if he was going to inflict some kind of pain. “I’m here to help and only that.”

“Then…” she was breathless, begging him for mercy. “Take me back,” she looked down at her ring, the beautiful white stone seemed faded and she contemplated it with a longing look. 

“We can’t go back that way.” Branch pushed away the urgency to make her understand who he was. Strategy ticked his brain, building up a plan to make her see him as a friend by the time they finished their walk through the cave. “To take you back we need to move forward.”

That caught her by surprise, but it was good enough to make her lower her hands and a faint hopeful smile colored the corner of her mouth. Apparently, she was naturally naive and trusting. He gave her the glow stick and lightened up his hair even more to lead the way further into the tunnels. 

Branch walked, paying attention to irregularities and holes on the floor, warning her so she wouldn’t trip or bump her toes. He felt his neck stiff from avoiding looking back to watch her. It was difficult enough not having the welcome he had wished for, and he feared that if he turned and watched her, trying to reach for any happiness that her beautiful form could provide she’d notice and retreat in fear once again. 

He couldn’t have that. 

“What did you do in the castle?” he asked, without really thinking. He needed to make conversation. He desperately needed to hear her voice. 

“I’m the Empress of Music, what do you think?” she answered in a mocking tone. He ignored that and seeing that he didn’t reply, she decided to answer him. “There isn’t much to know, really. I just spend my days composing songs.”

“I thought you - watch the slippery stone - also managed the kingdoms.” Branch held his hand so she wouldn’t slip and she ignored it. She chose to jump the stone. 

“There isn’t much to manage with the tribes being friendly,” she replied, suddenly aware that her dress was too revealing. 

“Indeed.” Branch saw the opportunity to dig a little deeper in the subject. “Do you, by any chance, know how they’ve got friendly?”

Her silence and her short steps indicated that she was deep in thought. She held the front of the dress to hide her chest from him and he pretended he wasn’t interested at all. 

“I’m not going to be your friend,” her voice dripped with deep repugnance. Branch looked over his shoulder to see her face full of hate directed at him. It was like a stab in the heart. He bled with the memories of when he did the same to her. When he repeatedly avoided her and claimed they could never share any kind of friendship. Was that how he had made her feel? That acute pain in the chest because denied what he desperately wanted?

“I don’t expect you to.” He marched again, leaving her behind and purposely not telling her where to step. He heard her falling on her knees twice and bit down his lip to the point of draining blood. Branch had to treat her as coldly as possible, to respect her wishes and hopefully… to make her trust him. 

***

_Branch stared at the page of his private journal for hours. He left it open on the table and since he couldn’t make a decision, he started to cook dinner while still stealing glances at it. After Cloud Guy found his personal things, he thought about ripping that page… and any other pages that mentioned Poppy._

_His feelings were confusing. Everything he had found deeply annoying about her for years took a turn with a leap of his heart. Her friendship changed his life. He wanted to spend more time with her and for that he didn’t mind leaving the bunker for hours, he even volunteered to help her with the kids._

_When he woke up that morning and saw that it was Hug Day he made up his mind that he would get her hug. It took him two mugs of coffee to make the connection that what he was feeling towards her was deeper than friendship. The novels described all his symptoms: he thought about her all the time, he got tachycardia whenever she was close, his palms started to sweat (and consequently he would think he shouldn’t touch her not to gross her out), his cheeks turned red and he had the uncontrollable urge to hug her._

_He had a crush on Poppy._

_Of all people, his heart decided to fall for the Queen._

_It was true that her continuous invitations during his whole life had worked a sympathy out of him, - or else he wouldn’t have kept all of them - but now… it was getting clearer that she was the one. She had always been and his heart tried to tell him over the years and his stubborn gray mind battled it with sensible words._

_And he had wanted to get her Hug Day hug._

_Only, Keith had been faster, but even if he didn’t get the hug, he was certainly surprised that she wanted to have his hug as well._

_And things led to the point he was at that moment, considering to destroy the journal, or at least the pages in which he listed the pros and cons of loving Poppy._

_“Excuse me, Branch. May I come in?” her voice echoed after a knock. He heard the trapdoor opening and he only had time to hide his journal inside the counter before he heard the elevator getting to the bottom level. “Hello,” her bright smile illuminated the brownish kitchen and his heart did a backflip._

_“Hi,” he answered, smiling back and returning his attention to the dinner that he was making. “Do you need anything?” he couldn’t face her. She was still wearing that flowery dress and she looked adorable. He felt his cheeks heating up._

_“Actually, yes,” he heard when she jumped, feeling incredibly homey inside the bunker, and sat on top of the counter, with her feet hanging in the air while she childishly moved them from one side to another. He turned to see her like that and somehow that position made him nervous. It was so inviting. One step closer and he could place his hands on her exposed thighs. “Keith said your Hug sucked.”_

_“Hm…” he mumbled and got ready to take the criticism. It wasn’t like he was used to hugging people…_

_“C’mere,” she said in a sweet voice, opening her arms for him. “I’m going to show you how to properly hug someone.”_

_“But…” he stuttered, crashing the pan with the sliced vegetables in the sink. “... Hug Day is not over,” he mentally kicked himself for that. Why - the Hair - would he push her away?_

_“It’s just the two of us in here,” she grinned naughty. “I’m not telling anyone… are you?”_

_“Hair, no,” if he could compare his voice at anything that moment… it would be to a struggling turkey. That was revolting. His body seemed to be crashing down with the amount of hormones that was flowing in his veins._

_“Get ready, then…” she wiggled her fingers in a cute inviting motion and he could do nothing but to step forward and allow her to wrap her arms around him. His heart actually hurt with the wild beating. “Hug me back, Branch.”_

_At her command, his hands stopped firmly on her back, feeling his clammy palms on the back of her dress. He was incredibly stiff._

_“Here…” she moved forward, getting on the edge of the counter, each knee on the side of his hips. Hair, was that necessary? Her cheek was squashed against his and he could actually feel her blinking. Her hands moved to rest on his upper arms and slowly, she slid them up to wrap tightly around his neck. “Does it feel good?”_

_“Y-yes…” good? He was dying in bliss! Such sweet tiny hands with such big soothing power._

_“Then move, too,” she explained, “You’re allowed to move and relax into the hug, you know.”_

_It was awkward, he felt like he was touching too much, trespassing the decency line. But she encouraged him and his hands moved up and down. Her breath was hot in his ear and he felt her relaxing and he caressed her. One hand went up and the other slid down. Not that he had much room to explore, since she was incredibly petite and his hands alone seemed to cover the entirety of her back. That detail made him smile and he relaxed into the hug._

_“See?” she pointed out, still completely wrapped around him. “It feels good like this,” he felt her cheeks moving and her forehead lowered to rest on the crook of his neck. “This is a good hug.”_

_“You’re a good teacher,” he replied, feeling completely at ease._

_“I could teach you something else…” she blushed and his eyes widened. What was she implying? “... I love it when the troll I’m hugging… takes courage to caress the back of my neck as well.”_

_“Oh…” what the hair were they doing? His right hand slid up, tracing a finger exactly where she told him to. He felt when a shiver ran down her spine and her arms tightened around him. “Like this?”_

_“Best hug ever…” it was up to her to break the contact. Her blush showed him that she was as flustered as he was._

_He was so not ripping that page. There were at least ten more topics to add to the pros list._

_Hair… he loved Hug Day._

***

Branch heard her stomach growling. It was in the middle of the night and she must have had dinner several hours before. He wanted to get to Volcano Rock City before sunrise, but he didn’t want Poppy to feel any discomfort. He offered her some berries that he had put in his backpack, but she refused them. 

He kept quiet while he heard sniffles and kept repeating to himself that he was supposed to be silent and try to understand what had happened to her to figure out the best approach. She didn’t have any marks or bumps, which made him scratch that she might have fallen on her head and the memory loss was a consequence of it. 

Poppy tripped on her hair and fell face first on the floor. Branch was quickly by her side to see if she had gotten hurt. Fortunately, there was just a small scratch on her knee. 

“Just put your hair up before you get hurt,” he said, standing up again. She stubbornly looked away and stood as well. 

“I can’t,” she replied, checking her knees. That took Branch by surprise. 

“Of course, you can. Just tie it up,” he was confused and so he reached to touch her pink locks like he had done so many times before. They felt different. 

“Take your hands off me.” Poppy pulled her hair violently from his hands, tearing a few strands on the way. 

“Poppy…” he felt… desperate. His chest raised and fell with raspy breaths and he searched for a small sign that she was still his Poppy. He was desolated when he didn’t find the same spirit in the body in front of him. “Please…” he begged, completely losing the battle. He was a wretched mess and he pulled her into an anguished hug, hoping to feel anything at all. “Tell me what happened to you.”

“I told you! I was kidnapped by a psychopath!” her yell echoed endlessly into the cave, almost guiding them through the direction they needed to go. 

“No, Poppy. Look,” he kneeled down in front of her, taking her hands in his and kissing her fingers. “It’s me, Branch… see?”

He could tell that she was surprised by his desperation. She didn’t know how to act with him looking so vulnerable, but he felt like he didn’t have another shot. 

“Branch…?” she said his name like she used to, stretching the ‘a’ almost imperceptibly, as if she enjoyed the sound. With a tiny bit of hope, he lifted his eyes to see her face softening. Did he do it? Was the sound of his name enough to make her remember him?

Starts burst behind his eyes with an intense pain provoked by a kick that perfectly targeted his balls. The air was knocked out of him and involuntary tears spilled out of the corner of his eyes like a river. 

The glow stick she was holding fell on the ground and she ran for her life into the dark cave, exposing herself to blind danger only so she could escape him. It took him several minutes to be able to stand and try to follow her. He was furious and it was nearly uncontrollable. The blow had awakened a hunting instinct and he had to put her in her place. 

Her primary survival instincts didn’t favor her in any way. As soon as the light of his hair illuminated her tracks, he could see how she had run in circles twice before going forward. It was obvious that she didn’t get far because she had teared a piece of her dress in a pointy rock and that probably scared her enough to choose to hide, instead of running away. 

His ears got ready to capture any sound that could indicate her hiding place and Branch slowly and patiently walked forward, paying attention to the smallest objects on the way. 

He reached a place where the ceiling was taller than the rest of the cave, causing the sound to reverberate louder and, as naively as it could be expected, it was where she chose to hide. The wheezing of her breathing could be heard from every corner. At first, it confused him, but then he saw the only stone big enough for her to crouch down behind it. 

Poppy screamed when he found her. Her small hands hit him on the chest with all the strength she could manage, but it didn’t even tickle him. Her desperation, though. It hurt like one of the guard’s blades. 

Branch couldn’t take it anymore. They would take forever to reach the city if she continued battling him like that. He needed to show her who was in charge just like he had done during the race. Mentally, he begged for her to forgive him. 

Holding her hands up against the stone, immobilizing her completely, he watched when his silent point dawned on her. There was no way out. His fierce eyes burned her with a domineering instinct. Her legs kicked in every direction and he also immobilized them with his knees. He patiently waited until she was done screaming, her voice went hoarse and burned her throat. 

“I’m not going to hurt you, Poppy,” he tried to sound gentle, but it came out like a threat. “We will get to the end of this cave together even if I have to carry you with my hair.”

“What do you want from me?” she sobbed, completely surrendering. “Just get it over with, already.”

His hopes of seeing her considering him an amicable troll drowned in her hopeless tears. She thought he’d kill her, rape her, tear her limps apart. It felt horrible, to be seen as a monster in her eyes, as someone who would inflict pain when he only wanted to save her. 

“Are we going to walk like civilized trolls or do I have to drag you?” he didn’t recognize the coldness in his own voice. 

She actually considered making him fight more, giving him as much trouble as she could, but she was tired and, in the end, she nodded. Hesitantly, he let her go and she sat up, rubbing her sore wrists. He threw the glow stick on her lap and crossed his arms in front of his chest. 

  
“You walk ahead, your _Grace_.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So... congratulations to whoever figured this story is about memories! Anyway, thank you for reading. I'm sorry I haven't talked much at the end of the posts. Since chapters 12, 13 and 14 were sort of gear changing to the story, I thought I should talk less and let you guys figure things out for yourselves.
> 
> I can't thank you enough for the kind comments, reviews and messages I'm getting for this story. Each word you guys write certainly inspires me to write more. They always brighten my day (and I had some shitty weeks this month), so thank you for reading and helping me become a better author!


	16. Tarantapuffs

Contradicting feelings made Branch incredibly angry. It made him rewind those years in the bunker when he wanted to have someone to talk to, but at the same time he was afraid to expose himself. Or when he hated Poppy’s positivity and her constant invitations, but he knew he’d die if she stopped showing up. 

He had made her sit down when the hours of walking got them both close to exhaustion. Trollex wasn’t clear about how long they would take to reach the end of the cave, but he got a small suspicion that it would take at least four or six more hours. Walking in the forest had been half of the time, so presumably, with all obstacles, the cave would take longer. 

Used to exhaustive hair jitsu training, it wasn’t a problem for him at all, but he saw Poppy getting slower as time passed and he had to stop before she collapsed. She had refused to say any word since her futile attempt of escape. Like a bratty child, she robotically did what was ordered to spare any more arguments. 

Branch built up a fire and cooked the first thing he could reach in his backpack. She avoided his eyes all the time. 

“I know you don’t want to talk to me, but I’m the one doing the talking now,” he announced, stirring the soup before pouring it in two bowls. “You’re Poppy, the Pop Queen,” he ignored her roll of eyes, “you’re incredibly happy, your positivity brightens everyone’s heart. You saved us by befriending the Bergens and you made all tribes unite by celebrating our differences. You showed me what happiness is.”

She didn’t want to eat, but it was a good strategy to keep her mouth full to refrain herself from making any comment. She didn’t agree with the passionate words he said, they all sounded foreign to her ears. How could she be Pop Queen when she had been on the Island, being Empress the whole time?

“You’re Poppy,” he insisted, watching her intensely with the corner of his eyes. “You’re the daughter of King Peppy and the Empress Lily,” that got a reaction from her. It was small tension in the hands and twitch of eyebrows, but his sharp eyes didn’t miss them. He had scored by saying her mother’s name. 

The contradicting feelings were making it difficult for him to figure what kind of appeal he should go for. He was very frustrated, sad and lost, but at the same time, he felt powerful and determined to show her who he really was and what she meant to him. It was like trembling on top of a hill before parachuting. He couldn’t tell if the physical reaction was a consequence of fear or excitement. He felt both when watching her. 

“By the way,” he reached for his hair and picked the book he had gotten from her vanity. “I’ve got this for you.”

Strategically avoiding contact, he put the book on the floor and he internally flipped with joy and she took it. She was surprised that he had it with him, but she didn’t hesitate in her determination to make things hard. 

“I don’t know how you know my mother’s name, but you won’t convince me that you’re looking for my best interest,” was her cold reply, even if she was clutching the book close. 

“Well...I promised to protect you and that’s what I’ll do,” he shrugged, returning to his food. 

Branch took the silence to check their surroundings. From a small fissure on the ceiling he could see a beam of light getting inside. It wasn’t enough to distinguish the time, but it was certainly daytime. “I just wish you’d give me the benefit of the doubt,” she stubbornly pushed her face in her meal again and Branch continued, “if you allow me to take you to Pop Village, you’ll see that everybody will confirm what I’m telling you. I’ll show you your home, your scrapbooks.”

“Stop it,” she hissed at him. Branch silenced and observed her. She looked insecure, proving that what he was saying was having some effect. “I don’t know how long you’ve been planning this. You could have fabricated everything you’re telling me. You could even have rehearsed a theatrical welcome with the villagers, I don’t know. I’m not believing you.”

“Tell me about your childhood then,” he insisted, getting really frustrated with her, but then again, he could only imagine what he would be like if he had lost his memories and a stranger tried to fill the gaps. “I bet my hair you don’t have any memories of it.”

He had hit a nerve and she looked like she was about to cry. So, he decided it was better to stop pressuring her. He was dying for her to open up. Whatever had happened could be important to understand the chain of events that led to the memory loss. He even started believing it was something out of their world that made her like that, something like a spell. Even if she was brainwashed it wouldn’t be that effective. Branch had to know how to counter attack the source and bring her back. 

He’d die if he didn’t. 

Poppy was exhausted and she leaned against a stone and closed her eyes. Branch watched as she drifted off to sleep with the empty bowl of soup still in her hands. His own eyelids were heavy, but he couldn’t sleep and leave her unprotected… or unwatched. She could run away again. 

But sleep deprivation would only affect his agility. Branch had so many edgy days; the previous hours seemed to culminate in a spiral of hazardous events that completely drained his energy. So, he did the best he could. He wrapped his hair tightly, but gently, around her waist. Before he completely went to sleep, he smiled seeing that she had turned and snuggled into his hair, bringing it up to her nose to breath his scent. 

***

_Branch got rid of Poppy thinking that it was the best idea he had that day. He watched her go away in his body to help DJ Suki with a leak. Not that she’d do a great job, but at least she’d know how it felt like to be in his skin._

_But the bright idea suddenly took a desperate turn when he realized he had a full bladder. Things couldn’t be more awkward. He considered holding it for… ten more hours? No, it would be impossible. So, against his better judgement, he walked towards the bunker, with his stomach turning into a knot. He had to think of a good strategy to… do his business without seeing much._

_Only, on the way, he felt the ground vanishing from underneath him and he fell in a pool of frosting._

_How did that thing end up there?_

_“Ha-ah! Poppy, did you forget we’re filling the pool for the fair tomorrow?” it was Cooper who said it. He was filling the pool and his mouth at the same time. “Giggleyum flavored frosting was the best idea ever!”_

_“Haha… no, Cooper,” he tried to imitate her cheerful voice. “I totally did it on purpose… hm… gotta go!”_

_He left a very confused Cooper behind and cursed under his breath about the sticky feeling while covered from hair to toes in frosting. His hair was all glued with the sparkling purple dessert and it occurred to him that there was no way he could spend hours like that._

_Like when you borrow clothes from someone. You get it back clean and smelling good, right? He was supposed to… -uh - clean her body before switching back, shouldn’t he?_

_The thought of getting a shower in Poppy’s body tormented him all the way down the bunker. It was beyond the friendship line, wasn’t it?_

_With an exasperated sigh, he lifted the blue dress and put down her panties. The bathroom ceiling looked very amusing and relief was blissfully accomplished. Should he shower? His hair suddenly moved, buzzing and tickling him. A small critter got stuck on the frosting and he hadn’t noticed. Crap… He had to shower._

_First, he cleaned her dress and hung it to dry. Luckily it was a warm day and it would be ready to wear in no time. He had a mental battle to keep from looking down. The water hit his skin and he was aware of the effect it had on his front. Okay… he could soap things up… but a male brain in a girl’s body wasn’t easily controlled._

_His hand wandered. With the excuse for scrubbing, he felt everything, even if he tried to keep his eyes closed. It was useless. He was touching her and it was completely unavoidable, after all, they had changed bodies._

_She was probably checking him out, too._

_Was she?_

_So, he opened his eyes and looked down. She was perfect. He probably never blushed so much in his life. She had so many curves. Oh, it was wrong to explore. He was there to clean her. Right. Just to clean her._

_He thought it was going to be easy to avoid the mirror, but his instincts guided him there when he was done showering. It was so wrong. She hadn’t allowed him to see her, but… frosting… it wasn’t like he was going to tell her._

_Then something pulled his eyes like a magnet. He stepped closer to the mirror to inspect it and his face went all red._

_Later, his hands were shaking while he poured himself some chamomile tea to calm his nerves down. Fully dressed, he tried to avoid the over-exciting discovery he made: Poppy had a heart shaped birthmark in a very indecent place._

***

Branch had the feeling somebody was watching him. He didn’t open his eyes straight after he woke up, feeling his body heavy from all the exercise he was forced to do. Her strawberry perfume immediately made him acknowledge her proximity, taking advantage of his unconscious state to study him. 

Branch knew when Poppy was curious. She wouldn’t be able to fight it and, with an internal happy dance, he felt the tip of her fingers trailing its way on the outline of his face. Hair… if he could only turn and kiss her palm. 

But he firmly waited until she was satisfied and sat back, maintaining a safe distance from him. His hair was still around her and her hand stroked it delicately, lost in thoughts. He pretended to stir after a while and she looked at him quickly, before turning her face to the fire once again, fighting a blush. 

“I see you don’t trust me as much as I don’t trust you,” Poppy said quietly, hugging her knees close, obviously referring to his hair around her waist. He immediately let go, but he didn’t deny… or apologize. 

“It’s no use discussing it... “he yawned and cracked his back like he was a crunchy cereal. “... you never listen to me, anyway.”

Her hair whipped around abruptly. Her eyes stared at him with a mix of surprise and curiosity. Branch had no idea what he had done to deserve that look, but it didn’t feel wrong like the previous ones. 

“Say it again....” her head dipped down, avoiding his eyes, but her voice was clear. 

“That you never listen to me?” He scoffed. It was so true. There was no way he’d ever change her mind, with or without her memories. 

“Again…” Poppy's command was serious and it made him see that she was trying to recall something, “more… sadly, this time,” and it hit him what moment she was trying to remember. 

“ _You never listen to me,”_ he did his best to sound exactly the same way he did when they had the fight. Not long ago, when they had an argument before splitting up during the World Tour. She swallowed visibly and her breathing shortened. “ _Why do I care about you more than anybody else in the world_?” 

Perhaps he could appeal to her emotional memories. Those that were so deeply carved in her subconscious that not even the strongest spell could remove. And body memories… those that caused a physical reaction that revived feelings, completely skipping the mind part. Even if those were just theories, it was a shot. And it gave him hope.

She seemed far away, deep in thought, trying to reach the origin of the feelings his words had sparkled. Her beautiful pink eyes looked past him, as if searching for the truth in his soul. She was successfully grasping something he couldn’t quite name. A warm feeling invaded his chest, as if her heart was embracing his own; cleaning his doubts, his negative thoughts, giving him an impulse of positivity, like he could feel the earth move underneath him. 

There was something building inside him… 

“If…” her voice broke, “... I give you a chance to prove your story… do you promise to take me back then?”

There was a lump in his throat. It was painful to swallow, but it was a good feeling. He was conquering something. 

“I promise to take you back to the Island,” he took her hands for the first time since it all happened. She didn’t pull back this time, as frightened as he was, she allowed him to place a kiss there. “If you still want to go after everything you'll see.”

It was like taking a leap into a foggy hole. The Prime Minister would be livid once he heard about her adventure, but her heart pounded wildly telling her that it was the right thing to do. And Branch’s kind spirit, showing nothing but loyalty and love, reassured her that he couldn’t be as bad as she first had thought. 

“Are you ready to resume our walking, Your Grace?” he kept the royal treatment. 

This time, they walked side by side and with both hearts lighter than before, they even managed to make a little conversation. 

“… and you actually infiltrated the bunker to get my flag. I didn’t have a chance!” Branch explained exactly how she did it, and the story was able to bring a grin to her lips, feeling flattered that she had supposedly won against him. “Ok, your turn now.”

“Well… I don’t have anything amusing to tell you,” she fidgeted a little, biting her bottom lip and making it look like she was holding her excitement. He loved that particular expression. “Oh, I know. The Prime Minister was telling me to compose songs and I came up with a mix of Hard Rock and Classical music; he was so surprised he actually fell off a chair.”

“That must have sounded very modern for him,” he indulged a little more. 

“Yeah, everything he despises,” she giggled. 

“So, he controls what you must compose…” Branch felt even more annoyed with the guy, if that was even possible. 

“In a way, he controls everything I do. He even decides where I go,” she scoffed bitterly before continuing, "there's a white room I've been curious about and he won't let me in," her voice trailed off and she slipped deep in thought. The teal troll was about to ask what exactly the Prime Minister did when they heard an echo of something moving on the walls. Both looked up in confusion, trying to see if their minds were playing tricks on them. They had been too long in the dark, things could get a bit cloudy. 

The second time, they heard a hiss and it was obvious that it was real. Poppy gasped and got closer to Branch who went into protective mode. She grabbed his leaf vest and put the glow stick up, illuminating the walls. 

Thousands of eyes blinked at them. 

The reason the cave had been shut for several years was because it was a tarantapuff’s nest. A giant nest. The walls were filled with purple hair; the dark blue legs moved around giving the sensation that they were everywhere. 

The terrible realization that it was probably where his father had met his final moments hit Branch like a ton of bricks. Even if the fighting had happened on the surface, the nest was somewhere hidden and an old abandoned cave was the perfect habitat. 

“Walk back… slowly…” he whispered to Poppy and quietly took the sword out of the scabbard. The only way out of there was to go back. The spiders had seen them, but maybe, if they didn’t do any abrupt movements, they wouldn’t attack. 

One single spider that was laying on the ceiling moved from its place and Branch’s hopes raised. The sunlight beamed inside the cave, showing them the way out… it was in the middle of the nest, but it was clearly the exit. 

“Branch…” she whispered urgently at his side. His name on her lips sounded so deliciously familiar that for a moment he forgot the imminent peril. 

“I saw it,” he replied, still walking back. 

Her breath hitched and he turned to look at her. More spiders had closed in from behind and there was no escape anymore. They were too quiet, as if waiting for the best moment to attack, like they watched each other to see which spider would make the first move. It occurred to Branch that they probably were preparing for a group attack. 

“Our only chance is that exit,” Branch calculated the odds to get there. They had to jump on some spiders to reach that far. If Poppy could use her hair then she could jump on her own, but… he’d have to use his to hold her while he opened their way. “I’ll wrap my hair around you and throw you towards the opening. Once you’re outside, run as fast as you can.”

“What?” Poppy was obviously confused, but he didn’t give her further explanations. His dark blue hair wrapped around her waist and her stomach dropped at the sudden feeling of flying in the air. Branch jumped up, ending on a tarantapuff’s back, then with another impulse they landed on another. 

It made all spiders hiss and leap towards them. Bouncing from hairy back to hairy back, he didn’t look at them. The dark blue legs of the spiders had some sort of substance that burned his skin when he accidentally collided with one. It wasn’t easy avoiding brushing his body against them and still protecting Poppy along the way. The spiders closed in, building up a wall around them and he had no choice but to jump up, using them as a ladder, until it was close enough to the opening. 

With one last jump, he cheered mentally seeing the exit clear and unobstructed in front of him. They both would make it out of there unscratched! But as quickly as the thought came it was held back as sharp teeth pierced his leg almost reaching his bone. He lost height, being pulled down with a whipping move. 

He screamed with the pain and Poppy looked down, seeing what had happened. Her body tensed when she saw the blood. She felt his hair going backwards, taking impulse and a second later she found herself being thrown in the air, flying across the mighty beasts, out of the darkness and into the warm sun. She landed securely on her bottom, but she barely had time to feel relief. 

Poppy stood and ran, as fast as she could. Her mind raced with several thoughts: she was safe from the spiders, she was out of the cave, she was free from her kidnapper and she could go back home; but even if her mind repeated those thoughts, her heart was desperate. Branch was a brave troll; he had risked his life to save hers. If he wanted to inflict any kind of pain, he wouldn’t have saved her - her steps got slower. - He wouldn’t have promised to take her back home if she wanted to… 

She couldn’t leave him behind. 

So, she turned, with her fingers stroking the ring on her right hand, turning the white stone into the full phase engraving, and she ran towards the cave opening once more. Desperation hit her when she saw Branch losing consciousness and dozens of spiders closing in. Unafraid of the consequences, she jumped inside. 

As darkness and the hungry eyes focused on her, she leaned protectively over Branch’s body to make sure he was breathing. She probably never felt so angry in her life. Facing the spiders, Poppy raised her hand, showing the ring as high as she could before it exploded in a blinding light. 

Some of the spiders hissed as soon as the strong glow illuminated them, the cave seemed to shake as all of them ran around, going further into the dark tunnel, hiding in fright.

Poppy felt drained and fell on her knees. It used her strength to the last drop; she felt sleepy and her body ached. 

“Branch…?” she called, tiredly, looking back at his unmoving form on the cold stone ground. Crawling to him, she turned his face upwards, seeing that he was still breathing. His leg was dark purple, indicating that the lacerated tissue was bleeding internally. “I’ll protect you…”

***

The sunlight penetrated through his closed eyelids, interrupting his troubled sleep. His body hurt with a fire that seemed to originate from his bones, burning his skin and making him sweat. Branch moaned painfully as he tried to turn his neck and felt an electric shock running through his head, coming from his leg. 

“You’re okay…” Poppy’s voice was followed by the sound of water and a damp sensation of a wet cloth being placed on his forehead. It made him aware that he had another cloth on his leg as well. “The fever is coming down. You’ll be okay.”

She hadn’t run away. She could have broken free, left him for dead and returned to the place she called home, but she had chosen to stay and… had saved him. Did she remember him?

Branch had the impression she was glowing under the moonlight. 

“Poppy…” his sight was blurry but her outline was clear as the day. She was like an angel, with her hair tied on top of her head, a few strands coming loose and she inspected his condition. Her closeness alone could cure the deadliest poison running in his body.

“You saved me,” she leaned closer so he could comprehend what she was saying. “Even if I don’t remember the story you told me, I feel that you truly believe in every word you said.”

“I love you,” he muttered deliriously, causing her to bite down her lip. Her heart warmed up with the familiarity of those words. Poppy had never heard someone saying them before… but maybe… she had. 

Perhaps it was Stockholm Syndrome. She was falling for her kidnapper. It would explain a lot. Branch fell asleep once more and Poppy changed the cloth on his leg. The punctures looked much better; there was no sign of infection and his temperature had gone down considerably. 

Protected by the deep forest around them, Poppy allowed her fingers to explore. Curiously, she ran her fingers up, from the wet cloth, to trail the way up to the side of his leg, reaching his hand, finding amusing that they seemed almost double the size of hers. The skin of his arm was covered in scars and they all looked recently healed. The skin was thin, with tiny lines that indicated it still missed thicker upper layers. The longer gash was noticeably made by a long sharp object. The cut was clean. 

He was hurt by a sword. 

Her guard’s sword. 

Avoiding the guilty thoughts, Poppy noticed how defined his muscles were. Nothing exaggerated, but something that could be interpreted as someone who had started working out recently. His ears were turned down and they were slightly pointier than the other trolls she knew. As if he had a natural deformity. It was actually very cute and she wanted to touch them. 

His closed eyes invited her small transgression. She couldn’t help but smile when his hard frown lines softened up in his sleep and his head leaned against her hand, encouraging her to keep caressing his ears so he could rest more peacefully. 

There was something going on between them. 

He made her feel complete. 

She felt at home with him. 

“Who are you, Branch?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the last flashback I wrote for this story. I had to get there to unfold the events from this point on. I finished writing it before Trollstopia was released so there won't be anything about the delegates once they get back to Pop Village. But Barb has a very important part in the next chapters (gosh, she's so fun to write!). Thank you very much for all the kind words. I am curious at how you guys think this story will go. Lol. Some of you got pieces of it right! I'll eventually answer each one who got the clues I planted since chapter one.


	17. First Tries

Branch sat down with the second beer cup in front of him. His head was perched in his hands because it throbbed with the recent events. The bar was just outside the small hospital in the middle of Volcano Rock City. 

They had been incredibly lucky Barb’s rockers had found them. Branch was still in pain, but the punctures had almost completely healed with an antibiotic shot he was given. Actually, the doctor had pointed out that it had healed too fast to be true. Normally a tarantapuff’s bite would result in amputation.

“That’s messed up, boy-toy,” 

Barb was sitting next to him, both facing the bar and watching the working rocker do the dishes and serve more beers to a group that was playing board games. 

“Did she give you any hint of what could have happened? Like… anything at all?”

Once again, he shook his head, sipping more beer. Branch didn’t drink. He didn’t like the taste, but the numb feeling was welcomed at the moment. Poppy was still inside the hospital, getting checked. The doctors had absolutely no idea what could have caused the memory loss. There was no sign that she had hit her head, as Branch had previously concluded. 

The doctors had asked him if he remembered anything from the night Poppy had fainted. He didn’t. All Branch could say was that she passed out after eating and drinking. He had witnessed nothing else. 

“Well… crap…” Barb cracked her knuckles and brought her fist down onto the table with all her strength, making their cups jump. “We have to get that Prime Minister and make him restore Poppy’s memories!”

“I can’t go back there now,” Branch stared outside the window, seeing the hospital on the other side of the street. 

“Who said you have to go?” Barb stood up abruptly, making her stool fall back on the floor with a clatter. “I’m getting my rockers and we’ll storm that castle!”

“They have hundreds of guards,” Branch pointed out.

“I have hundreds of rockers!” 

Oddly enough, Barb sounded beside herself with excitement to have a good reason to actually dominate somewhere.

Branch had no energy left to argue with her. It might actually do some good if she was able to get anything out of the Prime Minister. Barb was more than capable of taking care of herself; her world tour proved that. 

“Cheer up, man!” she refilled his beer cup, completely ignoring the annoyed look he shot at her. “I say, take Poppy and work on her memories. Do all those pukable things you guys do; in the meantime, I’ll beat the truth out of that lunatic…. quite literally.” 

They hadn’t seen guards walking around the city, so it was smart to rest and recover from the previous days before venturing back to Pop Village. The same hotel room had been offered and Branch welcomed the feeling of soothing water over his back as he stepped into a warm shower. Poppy had been released near dinnertime and they both went to freshen up straight away. Room service had delivered an array of colorful food, with all kinds of vitamins, protein and fibers they would need. 

Their accommodations were great; the food tasted amazing and Poppy actually looked cheerful and willing to talk. The only problem was that Branch felt on edge, with a breakdown crawling its way up to his throat and suffocating him with words he couldn’t say. 

Only when his body could actually relax, inside a safe hotel, with a girl who wasn’t going to run away again, with a smooth bed and fluff pillows, clean clothes and healed from any physical damage that had been inflicted on him, then it was time he actually _understood_ the situation he was in. 

Not long ago he was joyous; in Pop Village, building the relationship with the girl who had made him happier than he ever thought he could be, enjoying parties and celebrating all trolls becoming friends. Then, because of a scrapbook that revealed a lot about his father, he left all that behind to explore a dangerous land to connect with the deceased warrior’s spirit. That was so un-Branch- like! 

How could he just throw his safety protocols in the air like that? Poppy had actually been the voice of reason. Maybe their previous adventures had made him recklessly believe that everything would be okay in the end, but she knew that it was no ordinary adventure. It was one of her father’s secrets and they were dangerous! There was a reason why they remained secrets! They could have lived in blissful ignorance for the rest of their happy lives!

Branch bit down a piece of papaya they had for dessert. His eyes were foggy and fixed on a spot on the small table inside the hotel room. Poppy was saying something about a troll she met in the hospital; apparently, he had an amazing tapping technique when playing the guitar. She seemed very excited about it, but Branch could barely voice anything that would show her he was listening… because he wasn’t. 

He wanted to blame it all on King Peppy. If he had been straight forward with Poppy from the start, she’d know about her hybrid origin and she’d tell him about it before they actually went exploring. But Branch also understood that telling her about something as big as being the heiress of a whole empire could work in reverse. It could make her want to leave to see things for herself. Knowing Poppy, that was the most probable outcome. 

Branch assumed people on the Moon Island didn’t even know she had survived until they showed up for the first time. If his own father had died during the trip back what would be expected from a frail tiny egg? 

Would it cause international tension? Kidnapping a royal egg or a full-grown Empress wasn’t something to be looked at with mercy. It was a big crime, whether it was committed by a King or a common troll. 

And on top of all that there was Poppy. She had agreed to go because it was important to him, and the excuse of getting her mother’s gift was merely brushing her curiosity. All she wanted to do was to spend time with him, work on their intimacy, and the journey was the perfect opportunity for it. But it was exactly their relationship that was killed in that adventure. With her memories completely gone, Poppy wouldn’t believe he wasn’t a kidnapper, let alone her boyfriend. 

Poppy had forgotten everything she had accomplished as Pop Queen. 

And the most frightening thought of it all: was it permanent?

Her eyes were glistening as she stared at the moon outside. Her head was supported on her hand by her chin and the wind gently blew her pink curls out of her face. She was mesmerizing like she had always been. 

Branch noticed a small mark on her finger, just under the white stone ring. Instinctively he reached for her, to grab her hand like he had done a million times before. He genuinely just wanted to see it closer, but his sudden move made her retreat, as an instinctive reaction to his touch and paralyzing fear once again blinked in her eyes, even if she brushed it away a second later. 

She didn’t know him…

A life consuming fire shot up from his feet to reduce his hopes to ashes. Branch had felt that several times before. It wasn’t a panic attack. It was the revival of the moment he lost something important and had no perspective to get it back. Like when he cried when his father didn’t return, like he had cried when his grandmother was taken to be eaten. It was the sensation of watching something dear to him being taken away while he could do nothing about it. It was hate, it was rage, it was sadness and hopelessness combined. 

“Branch… breathe,” Poppy’s urgent voice brought him back to the hotel room. For a moment he had the delusion that she was his girlfriend again, because of the way she had said his name. But, no. He had been holding his breath to the point of getting purple and his chest was hurting with the lack of air. She looked scared that he would suffocate.

“I’m sorry,” he managed to say, short of breath, like he had run a marathon. 

She knew the way she had just retreated had caused it; her sensitivity to his feelings certainly made it clear and also made her understand her mistake. 

“No, _I’m_ sorry,” she replied softly, “I do trust you.” He had proved to be trustworthy with the sequence of events in the cave, but that was exactly his point. She trusted him with her rational side. She had to make an effort, because it wasn't natural. “I was just surprised.”

“I wasn’t going to hurt you.” Branch did his best to calm his racing heart, so he drank more of the bitter juice that was delivered with their food. “I just didn’t know you had another birthmark.”

Branch only realized what he had said once the words were pronounced. Poppy took a second to understand what it implied and he could pinpoint the moment it hit her. Her right hand covered her mouth and she blushed, looking away. He felt like he had to apologize immediately, but he waited. Her thoughts were running about the moments when he could have stolen a glimpse at her other mark. 

First was the worst-case scenario: that Branch indeed was a pervert and had sneaked into her bathroom to watch her, but that didn’t seem accurate once she re-walked all the mental steps. She always made sure her suite was locked and most of the times her maid was with her. He couldn’t have been there. Then maybe he could have seen her while she fell asleep while they were in the cave, but then, she was so edgy that if he had breathed next to her she’d have shot up awake. 

And there was his story… the pretty script about how he was a gray and sad troll and she showed him happiness, how they saved their friends and family not once, but twice, and how they had become best friends, only - her heart started beating faster at the thought - if he had seen _that_ , it meant they were more than mere friends. 

“How do you know about _that_?” she asked in a voice that was waving with uncertainty, and all he could do was look down, ashamed of telling her about it in the first place. 

“It’s…. Hm…. complicated.”

“Branch…?” Poppy stood up from her chair and took a tentative step towards him. This time she was certain that she needed an honest answer. She inspected for any sign of lies in his extremely attractive blue eyes. “Are we more than friends?”

“Ah…” That was a question that could certainly spare him of a story that would sound incredibly far-fetched. Not only was she supposed to believe she lived a life that she didn’t remember, she’d also have to listen that they had, in a freak incident, actually physically switched bodies! How insane would she think of him? “Yes… we are.”

He sustained his eyes and he made sure she’d see how desperately in love he was, and how that situation was hurting him. Her eyes flicked from left to right in fast and repeated movements. Her mouth opened and closed several times while nervous hands fidgeted with her hair. 

“… I don’t remember.” She ended up saying the obvious in a breathless voice. It would explain the box of birth control pills she found in her hair, once. She wanted it to be true, that was for certain. In her room she looked so many times at the blue view of the ocean, feeling empty, like her life lacked meaning that only a special someone would fill up. 

Poppy wanted to be loved. She felt like she had so much love to give in return. 

Branch looked like he was the one. 

_It’s not love, you just met him_ \- something more rational buzzed in her mind, like an intruder, poisoning the spark of happiness that was starting to grow. Oh well… it worked as an alert, she should, of course, keep an eye open, but still… she wanted to give Branch a chance.

Not many trolls would risk their lives like he did if they weren’t in love. And perhaps even so… 

“It’s too much to take in, I know.” Branch looked sad, but his voice was less desperate. 

They didn’t talk anymore. He opened his sleeping bag on the floor and got inside. She slipped in the bed and turned off the lights. Neither could fall asleep immediately, but they took comfort in listening to each other’s breathing like a hopeful symphony. 

***

Poppy was always happy. It came naturally; like Branch was certain that the sun would always rise another day, he knew she’d be in a bright mood as soon as she woke up in the morning. And the pink queen always surprised him with how positive she could actually be. 

The next morning, as soon as she got out of the bathroom, looking overwhelmingly familiar in the blue dress he had brought her, she smiled brightly at him. After a quick glance at the mirror to confirm how the dress felt part of her, she tiptoed next to him, under his suspicious gaze and slipped her hand on his. 

“Did we hold hands while we walked?” Her words were like the sky had opened and a beam of glorious light shone down from the dark clouds on him. He needed a quick moment to recollect himself, but in the next instant, he closed his fingers around hers like he had done so many times before. 

“Sometimes… yes.” 

“Ahh, Branch!” Riff found them just as they left the hotel, stepping into the street. “I was afraid I wouldn’t catch you before you left!” He turned his face to a curious Poppy and lifted his hat, “Morning, your Popness.”

“Morning,” she held a giggle and observed the chat between the two males. 

“Here,” Riff gave Branch a big bag that he immediately opened. Inside was an amount of metallic pieces like a scaly shirt. Everything seemed to be hard and malleable at the same time, with the parts joined from top and bottom, creating what looked like shiny armor. “I used that welding technique you taught us. I thought you might need something to protect you with dudes holding swords running around, you know?” 

“Oh… wow,” the gift had the sort of thoughtfulness Branch wouldn’t expect from a Hard Rock troll. It was awkward, but at the same time, he was so honored that Riff had learned how to wield like that! “Man, thank you very much.”

“Protect your queen, dude,” Riff bumped his shoulder. He also gave him a beetle that they could use to cross the forest back to Pop Village, so the trip would be shorter. “I’m backing Barb up and we’ll get back at you.”

Poppy admired how, not only Riff, but all other trolls seemed to like and treat Branch with respect. He seemed to be the opposite from the survivalist he had described himself in the beginning. He was popular, people knew him, and even if he was awkward when responding to them, it didn’t change the fact that he seemed to be someone important. 

Like a Queen’s boyfriend...

The prospect of having a boyfriend seemed to speak louder than the whole memory loss as Branch was constantly reassured by her infinite amount of questions during their flight back to Pop Village. 

Barb had warned them about keeping a low profile, that the guards were still infiltrated among them to take Poppy back, and the Queen of Rock wanted to use that time when the castle’s defenses were lowered to invade and punch a solution out of the Prime Minister. 

The thought of guards snooping around made Branch’s stomach churn in anxiety. Thinking like a strategist, he knew Pop Village would be the most vulnerable place for Poppy to be. He had to get her straight to the bunker and lock her in there until Barb returned with an answer or until the guards retreated. 

“I understand,” Poppy answered, when he explained they were supposed to hide for a while, removing a twig that had got stuck on her dress when they crossed a path of high grass. “That’s reasonable enough, but I still want to take a look around.”

“I’ll find a way,” he smiled, feeling her hand comfortably resting on his back. They hadn’t broken apart since they left Volcano Rock City.

“Well, since that’s clear… tell me about our relationship.”

“What?”

“I want to know how it happened. Who confessed first?”

He almost fell off the beetle at her words, and he could tell she was amused by his reaction from the way she bit down her lips to keep from laughing. She may not have her memories, but her personality was the same!

“We sort of… hm…” he blushed. He had said it first. He had tried many times before.

“You did it, didn’t you?” she said, excitedly, causing him to go silent with embarrassment. 

“What makes you so sure?” he asked, just to indulge a little more conversation and feeling grateful that he was riding in the front, so he could avoid looking at her face. 

“Well…” by the hint of mocking in her voice, he knew he wouldn’t hear what he wanted to. “You’re not the kind of guy I’d go for.”

“Excuse me?” and at his high-pitched voice, the beetle paused and landed, surprised, and Poppy took the opportunity to jump off and stretch her legs. 

“You’re not “Prince Charming” material,” she teased and he felt his shoulders falling, jumping off the insect as well. “You’re too cute! Looking at you, I want to squish you,” she said in a baby voice, coming closer and pinching his cheeks. “You must have something that really captured my attention if we’re really dating.”

Her smirk suggested she wanted to tease him further. It felt conflicting once again. At the same time, she used his looks to stun him into silence, he was happy that she was relaxing enough to feel playful. Perhaps two could play that game. 

“Yes, as a matter of fact, yes I do,” he replied, seeing a river not far from them, so he took the canteens from the beetle to fill them up. “And you craved for it for a long time.”

It worked like magic. He saw the tease melting away and being replaced by genuine curiosity. She eyed him from his toes to the tip of his hair, as if searching for what had sparked her feelings for the first time. He gave her a smug grin and turned around, going straight to the water to replenish the bottles. 

“What did I do?” She followed him down the riverbank, with her mind focused on how he could ignite that unsettling feeling on her stomach, and how his words made her heart beat fast. 

“Your Grace, you were on my heels for YEARS.” This was very exciting. The way she was watching him made him feel like he had that argument in his hands. 

“I doubt it’s because I felt attracted to you.” Poppy figured she could play snobbish, it certainly would put him in his place; “I mean, look,” she bent down and touched his arm, surprising him to the point of causing him to drop the canteen into the river. 

“Hey!”

“You’re covered in scars!” The heat and agitation of her words intensified. Branch frowned at her and did his best to ignore the way she continued to attack his looks; Poppy felt she may be going too far, but somehow, she couldn’t help it. She needed to bring something out of him. She couldn’t pinpoint what. “I saw the one on your back, and there’s this on your arm, and the spider made sure you got new ones on your leg-”

“Maybe I wouldn’t be so hideous if you weren’t so troublesome!” he shouted loudly, making a few birds scatter out of the trees to fly to a less threatening place. She froze as she saw him sit down, covering his face with his hands. He was visibly exhausted and shaking - as if another word or step would kill him. 

“I’m sorry…” his hoarse voice was muffled by his hands, but the emotion was so clear that Poppy felt a lump catching in her throat. It wasn’t supposed to go that far. She wasn’t supposed to hurt him. “You’re killing me, Poppy… I try my best, but... “

“I’m the one who’s sorry, Branch,” Poppy sat down on the ground next to him, guilt eating away at her as she saw the damage she had done. She felt an uncontrollable urge to touch him, to calm him down, to show how sorry she was for provoking him that much. So, she knocked the air out of his lungs by engulfing him a tight hug. 

It was the hug he wanted since he climbed to her tower. Instinctively he wrapped his arms around her as well, bringing her close so she was almost straddling his lap. If she was uncomfortable in any way, she didn’t show it, instead, she seemed to take it as an invitation to bury her forehead on his neck. 

He trailed his hand up, softly stroking the back of her neck and making her involuntarily moan in delight. That certainly was a body memory he had unfolded for her. 

“You used to like when I did that…” he whispered softly against her skin, causing her to shiver under his touch. 

“Apparently, I still do…” she replied breathily, causing him to grin in relief. 

Branch didn’t know how long they had stayed like that, in each other’s arms and learning how to be themselves again. His love was endless, no matter how much it made him bleed. Apparently, she felt like she knew him, because his touch was familiar, even if she didn’t remember. 

He felt her finger rubbing the most recent scar on his leg, provided by the tarantapuff that almost had them for dinner. 

“So… this one was from the spider…” he heard her quiet voice and then her finger trailed up, reaching his arm. “This?”

“From the guards…” Branch gulped, remembering the traumatic day. “...when they stole you from me…”

He thought she was going to end there, but her hand dove under his vest, sliding all the way to his back, touching his cold skin with her warm hands, almost making him whimper like a puppy, then reaching up until she found his oldest scar. 

“... and this one?” she asked again, her lips against his neck and her eyes closed. 

“Got beaten by a Mama Cuddle Pup...” his voice trailed off, but she continued. 

“... to save me.”

“You would have done the same,” he tightened his embrace and she bit her lower lip, extracting herself from his arms just enough to look into his eyes. She was serious, sad, and curious. Her hand explored a little more, in what seemed an endless torture, he felt when she returned to the front, touching his chest and, with both hands, touching his cheeks, his ears, his eyebrows… trailing each frown line he had gotten from his gray years, then down to his eyes, his nose and stopping on his lips. 

“I always wondered what it felt like…” she said more to herself than to him, lightly touching his bottom lip. 

“We’ve kissed many times before… you know what it’s like, Poppy...” He urgently wanted her to allow him to show her… 

“I don’t remember.” Lost in thoughts, she leaned against his hand when he gently caressed her cheeks. It was tormenting his already hurt soul. Her eyes fluttered close and her head got slightly closer, surprising him in a sweet kiss; it was enough for him to completely lose control. His lips pressed harder against hers, taking her breath away with the electric feeling that only their joined mouths provided. He didn’t want to lose any time with a chaste kiss, he was dying to feel her, so when she gasped, feeling completely lost and not knowing what to do next, he quickly took the opportunity to invade her with his tongue.

His Poppy was right there, in his arms, feeling the same, tasting the same, but completely unsure of how she should touch him, of how she should respond to his kiss. It was heaven and hell at the same time. Naturally, she moved her hips, adjusting their positions and almost blinding him with desire at the familiar and delicious friction. 

Before he completely lost all rational remaining thoughts, he pulled apart, opening his eyes to see her closed ones, with her mouth slightly parted and breathing heavily. She was in her own world. That moment, he prayed that when she opened her eyelids, he would see the girlfriend and not the Empress. 

“Well…?” he asked, hopefully. She looked back at him and his heart stopped for a moment. 

“I couldn’t recall,” she whispered, but still completely breathless. He looked down in disappointment, still touching her arms in a soft caress. It wasn’t like Sleeping Beauty… he wouldn’t wake Poppy with a kiss, it wasn’t like Snow White, that he would break a spell with a lip lock. Reality seemed to be endlessly cold and magicless. That is… until he felt her finger under his chin, forcing him to look back at her face. “... but you’re welcome to try again.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *squeals*


	18. Invitations

Branch loved Poppy more than anything in the world, and even if she didn’t love him back - or remember loving him back - he wouldn’t stop proving over and over again just how much she meant to him. So, he took his time, riding the beetle, to return to Pop Village when the night fell. 

She was over-joyous with their kisses - or the make out session because there was no way she was satisfied with mere kisses. Branch heard Poppy singing quietly like she used to. She was so happy she would squeal in excitement. Only, he had asked her to be silent because they couldn’t attract unwanted attention. So, she sang, but kept her voice as low as her happiness would allow. It caused him to smile. 

As they got near Pop Village, anxious thoughts about what he could find made Branch fall into a serious mood. He feared their home had been invaded by the white guards, inspected to the last pod and mushroom, with their friends and family taken to be questioned. The scene when they returned home to see everything destroyed after Barb’s World Tour repeated in his mind, giving him a queasy feeling. 

“You see…” Poppy started saying, grabbing his hand with that soul-cleaning smile of hers. “I’m sorry I said those things about you. I didn’t mean them.” 

He grinned, feeling his chest puffing up with pride. Of course, she didn’t mean them. She had said a lot of times how handsome he was. Branch was self-conscious about the new scars, but he knew her enough to understand that they wouldn’t repulse her. 

“You may not be like Prince Charming,” she said, giving him a kiss on the cheek. “But you certainly are the Knight in Shining Armor.” The grin brightened with a blush. Years ago, Branch wouldn’t see himself as someone courageous enough to be called a knight. His instincts to run and hide to survive always spoke louder, but then… he didn’t have someone he cared deeply about to protect. “I love that roughness about you,” she added softly.

And since Poppy had shown how much she enjoyed his attention, he sneaked an arm around her waist before she moved away. Somehow her words made him feel stronger, made him feel sure of his actions and how to act around her. So, he pinched her chin and raised her face, aiming her lips so he could kiss her with a toe-curling feeling. 

The way her small fingers gripped his arms indicated that she was also about to burst with excitement. He explored further, grinding their hips together and burying his fingers in her loose hair. The sensations that it built inside him felt too primal, bubbling up his desire to shield them both into their own world. 

Shield was a key word. They were in the open field. They needed to get to the bunker. 

“Would you…” he parted their lips and fought a laugh when he saw her pouting when she realized that the kissing was over. “... allow me to show you the way we were?”

He felt emotional when he saw her face then. She gave him a toothy grin, that one that was so her. Nobody else had that sparkling smile and it felt so bittersweet. 

He would do everything he could to bring her memories back. 

“That’s exactly what I want, Branch.” 

It wasn’t easy to suppress the homecoming feeling. He allowed the beetle to go free in the forest, instructing it to stay close to the bunker, and looked around just in case they were spotted… by a guard or by a loud troll. They tiptoed their way to the trapdoor and he watched as her wandering eyes set on the village in the distance. The lights made the pods look like Christmas decorations on the trees and her curiosity could barely be contained. He worried that she’d choose that moment to act recklessly and make herself known. 

But she did exactly what he told her, and kept quiet - still with over-excited wandering eyes - following him to the safety of his bunker. The bright night was left behind as they descended and Branch remembered the first time when he had her over, smugly showing her his sweat jars to make a wild impression. To scare her enough to stay away. 

Poppy didn’t remember any of that… so he could ‘fix’ his mistakes, couldn’t he? Branch could welcome her with a nicer attitude. 

“What are those?” she asked, pointing at some of his rations on the way down. 

“I used to stock food in case we got attacked by the Bergens.” He explained with a guilty smile. “They’re not half the amount I used to have, though.” Thank goodness the sweat jars had been discarded. 

She was amused by everything in there. He allowed her to explore each corner and decided to give her a tour. 

“It’s not as big as your castle…?” He didn’t mean for his words to come out sarcastically, but that’s exactly how it sounded. Stupid castle. Poppy didn’t seem to mind, so he continued, taking her by the hand and showing her his gym first. She wasn’t surprised that he worked out. She didn’t say a word, but he caught her checking him out with the corner of his eyes.

“One day…” Branch took her to the kitchen where she smiled at how neatly organized everything was, “... it was raining and you stayed the whole afternoon. We baked cupcakes and you burned half of them,” he chuckled at the memory. “Do you want some coffee?” 

“I’d love some,” she replied with a smile, looking around with her hands behind her back. She paid attention to every detail, seeing if something would trigger a mental image or a feeling about the days she had forgotten. 

“I’ll get it, then.” Branch went to the opposite corner to open the storeroom to get his best ground coffee. 

“I’ll help you,” he heard her saying and, when he returned, Poppy was reaching for the exact door where he kept his pans and silverware. He felt his heart skipping a beat when she hummed a song and filled the pot with water, turning on the stove to heat it up. Then she turned to the cupboard and grabbed his favorite mug, then another for herself. 

“Poppy…” he breathed at her side and she looked at him with a confused smile. 

“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have gone through your things,” she said, but he didn’t look like he was going to reproach her in any way, instead, he pulled her into a tight hug. “... what?”

“Do you realize what you’ve done?” he asked with emotions going so wild that his hands were trembling. She was completely lost so she didn’t answer. Branch wondered if her memories would come back like that… with splits of instinctive actions, not so much with awareness. She looked confused, lost and expectantly, so he had to tell her. “How did you know where the silverware was?” 

It wasn’t immediately apparent so it took her a moment to realize what he meant. Then the realization washed over her like warm water on a cold evening. She was surprised at how much that small piece of evidence - that she was a part of that place - thrilled her beyond measure. It was so joyful… knowing that she belonged somewhere full of people and not in a lonely castle. 

The castle… her home… had they lied to her all that time? It felt sad there, but it was the only place she had ever known… and her mother… Was her mother lied to? Was her mother kidnapped and had her memories erased as well? 

Branch sensed her discomfort and broke their hug. He felt weird, as if a rush of conflicting thoughts came out of nowhere to grasp his chest. 

“Poppy?” he called, looking to her blank expression. She was trying to hide what she was feeling… “Why don’t you relax while I brew us some coffee and then… later… I’ll show you some things that may enlighten you?” 

She nodded and retreated to walk around the bunker some more. She came across a door and, unexplainably, her heart warmed up, so she pushed it open and saw his bedroom. It was like the rest of his place, brownish, with little shelves carved on the walls. The bed got her attention. The smell of mint crossed her mind when she looked at it, as if one sense could wake the other up. 

She couldn’t put together what it meant, but it was clear that she felt like she had been there before. 

“Hey…” Branch said quietly from behind her. He didn’t want to interrupt or startle her, hoping that she was coming up with a memory on her own. “...I’m warming some brownies as well.”

“I feel weird about the bed,” she looked spaced out and went forward to touch the sheets and the pillow. Poppy wondered if they had made love there. It would make sense. 

“Here.” Branch wondered if he should tell her everything in detail, how she gave him the bed and how he took years to properly thank her, but he didn’t want to rush or influence her process, so he went to a drawer and got a shirt and shorts, giving it to her. “If you want to shower; I’ll finish the brownies in no time.”

She gave him a grateful smile and happily went to the bathroom, leaving him behind with a content feeling. Branch repeated to himself that he had made the right decision to bring her home. It was where she lived, it was where her memories had been made, so it was where she could restore them. Or so he hoped. 

He didn’t know the mechanics of the brain, so he decided to pay Dr. Moonbloom a visit as soon as she opened the clinic the next morning. Maybe she could give him ideas of how to bring real memories to the surface and push away the fake ones. She had been Poppy’s doctor all her life, after all.

The brownies were warm and he placed the right amount of vanilla ice cream she liked on top of it, then the coffee and jar full of water in the middle of the table. It didn’t take long before she emerged into the kitchen, with her hair wetting the shirt and a smile on her face. 

“I’m not surprised you don’t have a blow dryer,” she joked, sitting down in front of him. 

“I’m sorry,” he replied with a wide smile.

Oh, he wasn’t sorry. He loved to see her dripping wet like that. “Hungry?”

Her eyes sparkled at the amount of dessert in front of her and she wasted no time digging in. Branch almost forgot to eat, spending his time staring at her with a lovesick smile, seeing her close her eyes in delight each time she took a bite. Chocolate filled her mouth and a small drop of ice cream slid from her lips. A familiar feeling poured from his heart, irradiating his body as he watched her. It was like the years he spent in that same kitchen, flipping her invitations one by one. 

Her invitations. Her scrapbooks. THE scrapbook. 

“I’ll be right back.” 

She looked puzzled for a moment, but didn’t stop eating until she finished everything by wiping the plate with a pink finger. 

Poppy was thrillingly excited about Branch. Since she realized he wasn’t a bad person, she felt more and more inclined to learn about him, to kiss him, to hug him, to be as close as possible all the time. 

Poppy felt the water dripping from her hair to run down her exposed shoulder (yep, his shirt was that big) and the feeling of that cold droplet ignited a phantom sensation of his lips on her skin, drying her while drinking them. 

“Okay…” Branch took a deep breath and walked back into the kitchen, holding several invitations close to his chest. Poppy turned around and watched while he hesitantly put all the colorful papers in front of her and sat down. “I’ve never shown you this…” he blushed dark crimson and looked away. “So please, if you remember anything… don’t laugh?” 

The toothy grin was there again and he gulped. She flipped one by one, opening them, studying the way they were cut, the characters, the squeaky voices, but her expression changed from curious to disappointed. Branch didn’t understand what was happening. 

“Do you mind if I look at them by myself?” Poppy asked with a kind smile; it was a way to reassure him she was fine, but she wanted to be alone. She had used it lots of times. 

“Uh… sure,” he answered, not really wanting to leave her alone, but he stood and left the room. 

Once she heard the water running in the bathroom, Poppy opened the first scrapbook once again. It felt odd opening them with Branch in front of her, as if he was expecting her to remember everything magically. The first one was a small version of herself with pigtails inviting him to a birthday party. 

She felt absolutely nothing towards it. She didn’t remember making it, she didn’t remember delivering it and the colors and character had no familiarity at all, except the pink color. With a frustrated sigh, Poppy opened another and it was equally frustrating. All of the invitations were devoid of emotions, or lines or rational memories. She felt disappointed.

One scrapbook caught her attention and she opened it, already feeling like it was going nowhere. But to her surprise she did feel something about that one. Picking it up and carefully studying it, she saw herself neatly cut with several hearts glued with glitter. She wore her hair tied up and had a flowery hair band. The biggest letters said 'You’re Invited to Taco Tuesday!’. 

A crushing wave of sadness burned her face, making her involuntarily close her eyes as tears fell freely, completely ruining the scrapbook. Her chest felt like it was being squeezed, like the air was knocked out of her by the amount of bad feelings it provided. What did it mean?

She couldn’t make sense of it, so she cried, covering her eyes with her hands allowing the quiet sobs to be set free. The funny part was that it felt incredibly liberating, as if she had been holding them inside for years. 

“Poppy…?” Branch had returned and he put his hand on her shoulder; he wanted to comfort her, but he didn’t know if his touch would be welcomed when she was like that. But his softness, the minty scent from the shampoo she had gotten him and the amount of love she felt made her turn around and hug him tightly as her sobs grew louder. “Are you okay?”

“I don’t know…” she said, breathing deeply so she could form the words. “That invitation, it made me so sad.”

He picked it up in confusion while he wrapped his arms tightly around her. That was probably one of the most ordinary invitations he had. One she had made a thousand times to invite him to eat Tacos. It made absolutely no sense to him why that specific one made her react like that. 

It felt like she had lost him with that one. It felt like her life had ended, like her dreams were crushed by unscrupulous hands and she couldn’t explain why. So, Branch held her until she calmed down. Leading her to the couch, he allowed her to bury her face in his chest and cuddle. It felt amazingly good to be able to provide her with comfort, to make her feel safe enough to come undone in front of him. 

Branch wanted to give her the scrapbook that started everything, but seeing how she was, he decided it was better to leave it for another day. That strawberry scent of hers was making him alert of his needs, but he tried to brush them away. He couldn’t understand how he was thinking of kissing her when she was a mess of tears and sobs. 

“Here,” He offered, moving behind her on the couch, earning a curious look. “I’ve learned, not long ago, that you like to have your hair untangled before going to bed.” Branch heard her sigh, controlling her breathing. Slowly he ran his fingers through her pink locks like he had done once. The texture and the natural smell of strawberries, seemed to work as a medicine to his racing heart and his touch soothed hers.

She allowed an almost inaudible moan to escape her lips.

Branch realized he was staring at the peachy skin of her neck and wondered if she’d allow him to kiss her there.

No, it wasn’t the time. He tried to distract himself, setting his eyes on her fingers that gripped the shirt she was wearing. The ring with the white stone shone brightly in the dark lounge room and he placed his own hand on top of her, trying to make conversation. 

“Was it the ring that shone in the cave?” 

“Yes…” she lifted her head, making him see her big eyes all puffy from crying. “I had never used the Full Moon before.”

The ring, as he had seen on that fateful day when she was taken from him, had four phases, like the moon; New Moon, First Quarter, Full Moon, Last Quarter. 

“So, have you used the others?” He kissed her finger and tried to pull the ring to inspect it better, but stopped when she winced painfully. He looked at her then back at the ring, seeing a thin line of blood starting to drip from it. “Frosting! I’m sorry!”

“I can’t take it off,” she explained. “It’s attached to me.” That surprised him. It had looked completely ordinary before. To answer his previous question, she continued. “I use the First Quarter every night under the moonlight. I receive the tunes and turn them into music the next day. Then the Last Quarter is used to vent the inspirations out.”

“The Full Moon just brightens up?” He kissed her finger, trying to make up for the accidental wound, getting a smile from her. 

“Actually, it drains the ring of the tunes. Like cleaning it…it shines out the power with the light,” the smile faded and she looked away, saying at once the meaning of the last phase before he asked. “The New Moon means… no Moon.”

“So, it’s powerless, then?” He felt hopeful that at that phase he could try freeing her, but seeing her face, he held his tongue and waited until she finished. 

“Actually, it means no Empress as well.” She stood up, cracked her back. His mouth hung open, trying to understand what he had heard. 

“Like… a self-destruction button?” It frighteningly made sense. It was how Lily finished her life, right? That was the glitter explosion King Peppy and his father saw from the boat as they ran off with Poppy’s egg. 

Hair! She was walking around with a bomb on her finger!

“Well… that scrapbook was upsetting!” She cheerfully changed the subject, “I don’t recall anything about it, but something bad must have happened that involved it, right?”

“I don’t know…” He was too dazzled by the news to say anything else. His mind raced with every possibility of taking that ring from her. He couldn’t allow her to walk around with that thing. “We weren’t close at the time you made that one.”

She naughtily smiled at him, seeing that as an opportunity to tease and break the ice. 

“... it was when you were grumpy and isolated, right?” 

“Right,” he rolled his eyes, standing up as well. “We better get some sleep. You’re having a busy day tomorrow.” Taking her hand, he led her to the bedroom and she gingerly followed him, feeling curious and excited about their sleeping arrangement. 

“What’s happening tomorrow?” Branch opened his wardrobe and grabbed clean sheets, changing them so she could sleep with fresh ones. She helped with the pillows and the blankets. 

“I need to take you Dr. Moonbloom to get you checked,” he said carefully, watching as she took his plans like they were the most predictable thing he would say. “Then I want you to meet your dad.”

Stunned, she stood there while he walked out of the room, taking the dirty sheets with him. Memoryless, Poppy didn’t even consider the possibility of having a living parent. With eyes wide as saucers, she saw as he turned off the lights and said goodnight before closing the door, giving her security and privacy to have a peaceful night of sleep. 

***

“This is ridiculous,” Poppy said the next morning when they left the bunker. She was wearing a hat, glasses and a jacket that went down to her feet, completely covering her skin color and hair. 

“Desperate times, desperate measures.” Branch whispered, taking her hand while they walked towards the village. “We don’t know if the guards are watching from a bush.”

“The guards wouldn’t hide,” she explained, patiently. “They would walk in and interrogate, nothing else.”

“Would they do that before or after butchering everyone?” Branch replied in annoyance; he felt her stealing a quick glimpse at the scar on his arm and stopped herself from replying. 

The early hours of the morning in the village was a sight that soothed her heart. Back on the Island, Poppy had that same sensation when she took her morning tea at the balcony, watching the clouds lazily going by as the sun rose in the horizon announcing a brand-new day. By Branch’s side, she watched how the wind blew the trees, the leaves shaking and some falling, floating softly away. The air was fresh and the perfume of dew unfolded the events that were to come. 

“Look…” Branch stopped in front of her and put his hands on her shoulders. “Dr. Moonbloom is a little dramatic, but she’s been your doctor all your life. So… tell her everything.”

He didn’t need to say that, because Poppy was already going to blurt everything out. It wasn’t like she wanted to keep secrets from a doctor. It was very smart to visit the clinic as soon as it opened, though. It was a time when it was completely empty aside from the doctor herself. And Branch wasn’t kidding about the dramatic part. The woman had said that she was ‘done for’ about three times before learning about the memory loss. 

Branch sat down and watched as Dr. Moonbloom meticulously examined her patient. Poppy was sitting on a medical table and had her ears, eyes, mouth and hair checked. 

“I need her file,” the Doctor said to Branch, pointing at a drawer that was locked. He didn’t even have to ask, the doctor took the key from her pocket and handed it to him. He was surprised at the pile of files he found and, curious as he was, he opened the first one to snoop inside. 

It was a list of protocols and reports on Poppy’s health. While the doctor distractedly tried to put the pink queen’s hair up, he flipped a few pages, seeing that the doctor had detected “odd blood” since the first exam when Poppy was only a baby. Branch frowned at the handwritten notes that said “Odd reactions. Keep track of blood. Stop the dynasty. Prevent heirs.” 

Then there were several recommendations and exams to neutralize the ‘odd blood’ and, apparently, they all had been in vain. It clicked inside him that as soon as Poppy started dating birth control had to be a major issue. It explained the several pages of protocols. 

“Are you done reading my notes?” Dr. Moonbloom asked, watching him while she gave Poppy a contraceptive shot, causing an ‘ouch’ as response. 

“What is it?” Branch asked with a suspicious frown, handing her the file. 

“It’s exactly what you read,” the dramatic doctor answered dryly, then turned to Poppy. “Well, I’m not sure how to get your memories back, but you’re physically healthy.”

“Wait, have you been controlling her Moon Blood all this time?” Branch raised his voice, getting angry that it was kept from him even when everybody knew that Poppy had been imprisoned in the Island. 

“Controlling? No… I’m barely monitoring it under King Peppy’s orders,” she explained, allowing Poppy to stand up, while rubbing her arm. “This is interesting,” the doctor said, lowering glasses to take a look at the sample of blood she had collected.

Branch furrowed his brows and looked closer. He wasn’t a doctor; his knowledge about medical care went as far as an average troll’s, but he did see that the color of the blood wasn’t right. Poppy stood quietly on the side, having her hair braided up by a stressed nurse. The pink empress didn’t pay attention to what the doctor and Branch were intrigued about. 

The blood wasn’t red as the previous samples. It was shining silver, like liquid mercury. 

“Is it the Moon Blood?” Branch asked, curiously. 

“Have you been intimate?” The doctor completely ignored his question and resumed her business.

“What kind of question is that?” Branch blushed bright red and Poppy barely looked at him in confusion, curious to know how far they had gone. 

“An important one,” the Doctor took her glasses and cleaned them on her shirt. “Does she need a morning-after pill?”

“Hair, no,” Branch took Poppy by the hand, feeling his anger rising. He loved King Peppy with all his heart, but he was done having things being kept from him. It was about time he came clear with his future father-in-law. “We’re going straight to your dad.”

No more secrets.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay... so here's the thing. I'm not sure it is actually working the way I envisioned it so I got to say something. When I wrote the first part the idea was to make the readers dive into the facts that occurred between Poppy and Branch and how they were separated even if subconsciously they were attracted to each other. I've built up scenes so in this second part the readers could recall the events and sort of remember things at the same time Poppy does. I wanted it to work in an emotional and subtle level.   
> My question here is: is it working? 
> 
> I think most of you know, but I do use fanfics to try and test my limits as a writer so I can use what worked in my original stories and discard what didn’t. It’s a very experimental field for me. I’d appreciate if you could tell me if I’m on the right path here :)


	19. Moonlight

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: This chapter has lemons.

Chapter Nineteen: Moonlight

Branch didn’t know who felt more awkward: Poppy, who was trying to comfort a stranger that was introduced as her father, who - by the way, was crying his eyes out on her shoulder, - or himself, who felt like he had failed the King miserably and still needed to come up with several questions to find out the truth. 

Poppy looked back from Peppy to Branch like a puppy who was being crushed by a clueless kid, begging for his help with her eyes. 

“My old heart won’t take it!” the orange King said, squashing her cheeks against his, tickling her with his mustache. “What a disaster! Not remembering your old man…”

“King Peppy, I-”

“I have many pictures and scrapbooks, surely you’ll remember them!” And he emptied one of the many boxes he had of Poppy’s baby pictures on her head, burying her up to her nose. 

“Sir...” Branch got the cue to take the King’s attention to himself while Poppy busied herself with the photo albums, looking over the pictures one by one. “I really need to know everything about that moon dynasty.”

“Oh, my boy, there’s nothing to kno-”

“Yes, there is, you know that,” Branch interrupted him, looking fierce and hungry for answers. King Peppy couldn’t brush the subject off this time. “You’ve been ordering Dr. Moonbloom to monitor Poppy’s blood since she was a child. I saw the Medical Protocols. The birth control isn’t for her queenly image, is it? It’s obvious you know something” The king opened his mouth to protest again, just to get one more warning from the young warrior, “It may be the key to bring her memories back, so please, don’t keep things from me.”

The retired king looked at the busy girl behind them; she was flipping the pictures with a happy smile and he gestured towards the door so he and Branch could step outside to talk. The teal troll was tapping his foot impatiently, waiting for explanations. 

“I’m sorry I kept things from you, Branch,” Peppy said sincerely, “I was just scared of what that heritage could mean to Poppy,” he sat heavily on the floor, brushing his mustache down, deep in thought. “The truth is, I don’t really know what it means, that’s why I kept monitoring her.”

“Well, you certainly fear something bad.” Branch insisted, sitting down next to him. 

“I’m afraid Poppy might do things her mom did…” the quizzical look from the younger troll made him continue. “Sometimes it looked like Lily was under a spell. She’d stare at that moon for the longest time, she’d reach for it. Several times I caught her nearly falling from that balcony. I don’t know what I would do if Poppy lost her mind as well.”

“She didn’t lose her mind… she lost her memories,” Branch pointed out.

“I did a lot of research with the other leaders,” he paused as a bee happily buzzed by them and stopped on a flower. “Many of my adventures consisted in going undercover to other tribes to learn if they were in touch with the Island. I always hoped someone would give me an idea about how to neutralize Poppy’s blood.”

“Lily seemed to be concerned about it.” Branch remembered he ripped pages out of the scrapbook he read.

“Everybody just knew the same story; about the girl who loved the Prince and devoted herself to the moon to save his life.” King Peppy nodded at his own words, watching the bee rolling around on the pollen. “The only one who might know the whole truth about the castle is the Prime Minister, but he must be an old fool like myself now.”

“Oh… actually, he still looks quite young.” Branch said, remembering that the slimey troll - who Branch harbored an intense dislike for - had a few wrinkles but looked like he still could run a marathon.

“Huh? Oh, nonsense. The guy must be more than a hundred years old by now.” King Peppy laughed, causing Branch’s mind to whir. “He was on Lily’s heels all the time, always making sure she followed her schedule.”

“That troll…” Branch growled at the events that flashed in his mind. “... he’s one wicked, cold-hearted and vile troll.” 

“Those are a lot of words for someone who barely met him,” King Peppy said reproachfully. Branch didn’t protest, but held his tongue from saying who was responsible for Poppy’s situation and his near-death experience. “The Prime Minister helped Lily a lot, from dealing with invaders, to telling the tribes how to keep from trespassing each other’s borders… He even got reports from the tribes, seeing which ones were lacking songs to help Lily focus on them.”

“Meaning, he controlled everybody,” Branch said in a low voice, looking down at children playing from underneath the tree. 

Gia was there, babysitting them. She had a smart strategy to control the kids: she’d tell them they could play all they wanted, as long as they didn’t leave the playground. She offered them all freedom in the world under their tiny square space. And the kids loved it; they loved to have a predictable place to stay.

Suddenly, Branch realized what the Prime Minister did. He managed every tribe. He told them what to sing, what to wear, where to go and, in return, gave them the feeling that they were free to do as they pleased. 

The Prime Minister was the true ruler of the Trolls Kingdom and he hid behind an Empress who could do some magic tricks. How clever.

Branch looked at King Peppy again. So, the old troll didn’t know much, he just acted on his survival instincts to protect his daughter from what he thought could turn into madness. 

“I was really scared when Poppy didn’t seem to fit in.” king Peppy said, “I asked everybody I could trust to help. Her mind always seemed to be over the moon.”

Glancing inside the royal pod, he saw the pink girl giggling at a picture where she had powder all over her face. 

“… never fully belonging here and not fully belonging there… I had to teach her how to fit in. And now she forgot all the lessons…”

Branch didn’t know what else he could do to wake her memories… maybe the best solution was to follow King Peppy’s path and monitor her. With time and the right amount of dedication, they could come up with a solution.

Perhaps his best shot laid with Barb and her invasion of the Moon Island. Branch wondered how she was doing with her plan…

***

Barb kicked a chair out of the way, strolling casually inside the castle with her rockers providing backup. Like she had thought, most guards were searching for the Empress around the Troll Kingdom and left the Island unattended. 

It was easy sneaking in and breaking some stained glass on the way. The yellow troll with a big attitude called himself the ‘Prime Minister’, and he angrily followed her around, under the aim of very dangerous guitars. The Rock Queen wasn’t easily impressed with all the whiteness and light air. She had the impression the place was too empty, lacking life and history. Wasn’t it there for like - a bazillion years? Without a scratch on the wall? Yeah, right. A bazillion _boring_ years, then. 

“So, when you knocked Poppy out, did’ya really think her friends wouldn’t come looking for her - ol’man?” Barb cackled, touching a harp she found inside the Creation Room, making an experimental sound. 

“You have an obnoxious attitude, young lady,” the Prime Minister said, furiously. His face fuming red like his blood was boiling. 

“Yeah, uh-huh, well… being Queen of Rock gives me the excuse to be unique in my own way,” clasping her hands together and looking around in excitement, she focused her attention on him. “Now, tell me, how did you make Poppy forget everything?”

“I didn’t do anything!” he defended himself, purposely raising his voice and looking around to see if anyone was coming to his rescue. “The Moon claimed her.”

“Pfff….” Barb rolled her eyes, walking past him with a bored attitude. “Pull the other one. I don’t believe in that witchcraft bullshit. But I do believe in sneaky old trolls who may take advantage of old myths to hide his true intentions,” and once she was out of the room, she climbed up the stairs with her rockers on her heels, pushing the Prime Minister forward. “Spill it.”

“She is the heiress of the Moon empire, whether you believe it or not,” he defended, quickly following her with his short legs. “She will fulfill her duties!”

“Yea-yeah, whatever. Where’s her stuff?” 

“Stuff?” Barb’s shallow words disgusted the Prime Minister, being used to a vast vocabulary with exquisite effects on his audience. Nobody dared to talk to him with slangs and curse words before. 

“Everything that made her a Pop Queen, dude, don’t play dumb with me.” By the way Barb was leading the conversation, the Prime Minister understood what she wanted. Barb was there to collect evidence to show Poppy who she originally was; to force her memories back. “What did you do with her annoying Hug Watch?”

“Hm… your Rockness?” Riff pushed open a door that was unlocked, revealing the Empress’s suite. 

“He-ey! Now here’s a place I’d like to go for my summer vacation!” she whistled, sauntering into the room and making the Prime Minister completely blind with rage. 

“This is preposterous!” 

“What about, you give us her things and we just go - ey?” Barb jumped on the bed and clasped her hands behind her back. 

“Those _ordinary_ things are in the safe!” the Prime Minister yelled, turning around and marching straight to the wall outside where he pushed a heavy tapestry aside, revealing a small vault. 

He rolled the wheel in several directions before it clicked open and Barb grinned widely when she saw Poppy’s crown, her blue dress and the Hug Watch inside. She quickly approached, nudging the Prime Minister to step away. She folded the crown and put it in her pocket, then the watch in the other one, but just when she was about to pick up the dress, she heard one of her rockers being knocked down. 

Whipping her head around quickly, she saw as Riff got restrained, thrashing like mad while his mouth got covered. Other rockers were knocked out by blows to their heads and their guitars fell uselessly on the floor. Barb frowned at the old man as he grinned, puffing up his chest smugly when the white guards started showing up, blocking her way out. 

“We don’t appreciate that kind of attitude here, ma’am,” he said carefully, popping his words out like elegant poison pills. 

“Are you seriously considering kidnapping ANOTHER queen?” Barb replied, shaking her shoulders. Who did that guy think he was? She had almost conquered the world a few weeks before!

“Kidnapping? No…” the Prime Minister narrowed his eyes and straightened his clothes. “It’s just going to be a fair exchange of hostages.” 

***

Branch tasted the tomato sauce and hummed in approval. He had wanted to make that recipe for Poppy for the longest time, but somehow it always got delayed with their days filled with her queenly duties. It felt bittersweet that it only fit in their agendas now that she didn’t remember anything about her previous role as Pop Queen. 

He noticed how relaxed she felt next to him, cutting the vegetables for the salad he wanted to make, with the sweet drops he had gotten from Herman the Hermit. They shared a happy silence, just enjoying each other’s company as if nothing in the world mattered, except spending a quiet evening together. It almost felt normal. Almost. 

“I’m sorry I doubted you,” she said quietly, with a shy smile. 

“It’s okay…” he kissed her temple, not taking his eyes from the spaghetti. “It’s not your fault,” he grinned at her and opened a cupboard where he had stored two or three different bottles of wine, since he had noticed she enjoyed appreciating a glass during dinner, “Here…” Branch popped it open and poured some, hoping it would ease the feeling between them. 

“Thank you,” sipping it happily, Poppy returned to the vegetables, bumping her hips playfully against his. 

“So, what did you think of your dad?” Branch asked, studying her out of the corner of his eyes. 

“He seems to be a loving father.” Poppy said quietly, wanting to add that he probably had spoiled her a lot, but she kept that part to herself. 

“But you don’t remember him,” he pressed his lips tightly, involuntarily scowling. 

“No, I don’t,” in apology, she showed him that the salad was done and he added the dressing he was dying for her to taste. 

The spaghetti was ready at the same time as the salad, as they synched their chores around the kitchen. He loved seeing that she had the same reaction from the last time he cooked for her. Many compliments rolled from her lips at each mouthful. Poppy said several things about how the cook in the castle wouldn’t scratch Branch’s talents and how much she could taste the love he poured into the cooking. He enjoyed seeing her delight, but his mind wasn’t on the food. Seeing her so much like herself, but so far at the same time, squeezed his heart.

“Poppy,” her name was just above a whisper and he played with an olive to keep his hands busy. Both had finished their meals, but remained by the table while she happily sipped her wine. “Not even your baby pictures?”

Her smile failed to reach her eyes when she heard his words. She licked her lips and stood up, taking the glass with her, leaving the kitchen in silence. Branch followed her, seeing that she made her way to his bedroom and stopped by the door, looking at his bed and at the invitations that were scattered on his night stand. 

“It’s obvious that the king raised me,” Poppy started saying, startling Branch with the lack of warmth from the words that were coming out. Usually she spoke of her dad with a sweet affection, but it was completely gone. “I believe he is my father, the amount of pictures makes it undeniable.” 

Branch’s hand touched the small of her back; it was the sort of touch that would have made him blush and look away in the old days. It revealed a level of intimacy that they had built and were comfortable with. His big teal hand covered all her petite waist and he wouldn’t get tired of noticing how adorable it was. 

“But I don’t feel anything towards him.” Poppy completed her thoughts and felt his hand closing on a grip over her blue dress. “But I do feel that _things_ happened here…” and she took a step forward, making Branch see how lovely the fabric of her dress moved as she walked around, brushing her skin lightly. “I feel I’m closer to remembering something when I see that Taco Tuesday invitation and the bed.”

Branch heard a tune. He looked around in confusion, seeing nobody except both of them. 

_“When you're down to your last bit of hope_

_Feel like breaking apart_

_And you swear that nobody else_

_Could ever love you the way that you are”_

His eyes widened in confusion. Her lips weren’t moving, but he clearly heard her voice singing those words to him. It was like she was singing inside his head. 

_“'ll be waiting when you are on your own_

_Yes, I'll be waiting when you are far from home_

_When nothing's sacred_

_You'll never be alone_

_No, I'll be waiting here”_

That last part she did sing out loud, making him wonder if he had imagined the first part. Poppy walked around his room, touching his things. He blushed when she found his framed picture with the ‘nothing important’ leaf hiding it. It was more piece of evidence that they were together… and an awkward couple in the beginning of their sweet relationship. 

She held the glass against her chest as she picked up the picture, feeling her heart flipping with an undying love that was mirrored into his own.

“What is happening?” Branch asked in confusion, looking down at the foreign feeling that was pulsing through his body. 

“I noticed it in the hotel,” Poppy shyly looked away, avoiding his eyes as a blush crept over her cheeks. “We have a soul connection.”

Branch blinked a few times, not understanding what Poppy meant. The overwhelming excitement that had invaded his own feelings slowly died down, becoming faint until he could only notice his own confused emotions. 

“Do you recognize that song?” she asked quietly, setting the frame down and changing the subject.

“No… but it’s accurate,” he breathed out guiltily, sitting down on his bed and rubbing his eyes. He was so tired. Everything seemed too much to deal with. “You did wait a lot… until we became friends.”

“Oh well… it gives me a few tips, you know,” she finished the wine and put the glass on the night stand before sitting down next to him. Branch’s guilty blue eyes met her warm ones and traveled down to her lip when she bit it down. “I probably won’t remember if I think about it… I mean, If I try to map how those memories were made.” 

“Then how do you expect to remember things, Poppy? If I stop showing you things then…” but she cut him off before his heated speech turned into a desperate one. She placed a cute pink finger to keep his mouth shut as she seriously looked into his eyes. 

“I remembered that song when I saw a picture of my school uniform. When I see the bed, I feel ‘longing’ and ‘waiting’. When I held that card, I felt lost and sad…” her fingers trailed down, tracing an invisible line from his chin, to his chest and down to his hand until she held it tightly, “... and when you touch me, I feel love.”

“I don’t really get it…” Branch’s hormones were in a frenzy. What were they talking about again? She was so close he could feel the heat from her skin before they physically touched. It felt like an insane radiation that made him alert... that she might be saying he was allowed to love her. That he didn’t have to hold back.

“I’m saying that I will remember with my heart.” She inched closer and sealed her lips over his, making him feel all the hairs of his body stand up with excitement. He inhaled sharply, breathing in her strawberry scent and instinctively wrapping his arms tightly around her waist, bringing her so close that a strand of hair wouldn’t fit in between them. “Show me what you used to do with me.”

Oh Hair… she thought they had done _it_. Should he interrupt everything and tell her? Would she stop that wonderful tongue of hers from exploring his mouth if he did? He rolled his eyes back when he felt her hand caressing his ear. He didn’t know… wow... he really didn’t know about _that_ sensitive spot. 

Her hips pressed against his through their clothing and he completely lost himself. It was like he changed gears and something raised from within, grabbing her hips and grinding them together until both gasped at the building sensation. Her hands explored his hair, digging her fingers inside and tangling them in a delicious mess. 

She was loved, she realized. While sitting on her suite inside the castle she could only think that she needed to direct her undying devotion to someone and it felt so right now that she knew that the whole time, she was missing Branch. His touch was so familiar, so protective, so warm and caring. It was like she waited all her life for this moment. 

"Poppy…" he gasped, feeling her mouth sucking his neck hungrily. He had to tell her. "We've come close a couple of times," that distracting hand of hers was getting courageous and it almost made him forget what he wanted to say. "...but we haven’t done _this_ before."

Her heavy breathing tingled his lips while she opened her hazy eyes to stare at the handsomely rough troll on top of her. He was unsure if he should continue, but she had never felt so sure of anything in her life. If he stopped, she’d die. 

"Then let's do it now." 

Poppy knew exactly what she wanted and what she was asking for. Even with his initial hesitation, he wasn’t strong enough to deny her. The texture of her skin was like coming home. The lightness of her touch made him feel emotionally safe, giving him enough freedom to take charge and push his hands up her dress, exploring the soft skin of her thighs and hips with delirious abandon. 

**XX-XX**

Branch had waited a long time to feel her like that, he felt his pulse speeding up each time he took in her perfume, noticing it wasn’t just strawberry anymore, but spiked with something else, something he couldn’t resist. He brushed the hair from her neck to breathe it in deeper and fresher, kissing just below her ear as he did so, making her involuntarily arch her back off the bed, to press against him. 

Poppy didn’t have to say anything, but he knew she wanted to be touched. She was burning for his attention underneath the layers of their clothes. She didn’t voice it, she didn’t even move in a way that would indicate it, but instinctively he knew he had to touch her or she would burst in his hands. 

He felt her fists on his vest, yanking it off with a ripping sound. She blushed when he held her down, giving her a reassuring smile that he wouldn’t disappear like smoke in a dream. He was there and they could take their time savoring it. There was no need to rush, after all he wanted to see everything, to worship each curve, to kiss every inch of her skin. 

Her urgency slowly gave room to his calmness. Poppy allowed his feelings to soak her soul and show her what he had been waiting a lifetime to do. And so, she lifted her hips, helping him pull her dress up, then sat halfway up to allow him to remove it completely; when she laid back down, she closed her eyes. Like a hunch, something whispered in her mind that she must feel his touch, concentrate on each caress, on each air that he breathed near her skin, and for that, she needed to shut down visual stimulation. 

His arms were warm and gentle. She felt his hands going up and down her back, like she had once instructed him to. His hands enveloped her completely, with a caress that was a mix of loving and rough, as if he couldn’t help his raw nature. The electric feeling he sent up her body, originating from a bruising grope and their grinding hips made her gasp. 

Her hands were on his shoulders and his tongue searched for hers when he returned to her mouth. She knew it like a path she had walked before, she knew the hills and valleys of his body, they were familiar even if they weren’t deeply explored. It wasn’t a surprise when she let her hands down his back, feeling his scapula moving up and his spine stretching. 

A small guilty feeling threatened to ruin the moment when she felt the scar on his back, but like magic, he moved his hips up, completely sending her thoughts to a different direction… if there were any thoughts left. 

When she opened her eyes again, she met his hazy blue ones. It was like he was floating in his own high, seeing her naked underneath him in all her glory. His shorts were gone as well, if it was she or he who pushed it down they would never know, but it was clear that they were breathing their last breaths as two different trolls, because the moment they united they would become one. 

Needing a reason for everything, Branch was having some difficulty coming up with words to mentally describe the depth of the connection they were having, but the words 'mystical’, ‘heavenly’, ‘spiritual connection’ were popping up continuously. He had asked her once if she believed in soulmates… 

He felt her arms wrapping around his shoulders and he buried his face in her neck. She lifted her head from the pillow and saw his hips moving down at the same time she felt him stretching her up. 

His hands searched hers, intertwining their fingers as if he needed it to keep his sanity in check, to hold himself back from losing control. It was very challenging to move slowly when he felt her inner thighs wrapping around his body. He could tell she meant to cross her ankles on his back, but his size made it physically impossible. He had never noticed how tiny she was, which made him fear he could hurt her. 

He felt her shuddering when he explored her chest, concentrating somewhere else while she adjusted to him. He saw stars when she moved, encouraging him. He felt his lungs constricting with her desperation for him to continue. 

It occurred to them both, as they moved, bit, moaned and groaned, that they communicated a lot without actually talking. They knew the perfect pace; they knew how to make their bodies tighten and how to explode in white flames. 

**XX-XX**

He fell on top of her in exhaustion, feeling their sweaty bodies mix in a delicious and unique primal perfume. Her pink skin had a faint glow and he noticed that so had his. He put his hand up to see their joined fingers with a light similar to the one they had when they had regained their colors inside the chef’s pot.

They had never been happier. 

***

Branch’s eyes were closed, but he could see the moonlight was invading the bunker from his closed eyelids. He also felt how his lips were forced open with a delicious strawberry taste hungrily searching for him. He felt Poppy’s weight shifting and she rolled on top of him, playing with his hair and waking him up in all ways. 

“Poppy…” he whispered, lifting his arms to hold her down against his chest. She didn’t answer him, only continued kissing him as if still half asleep. He watched her closed eyes, her expression soft, with her lips only half parted. She moved her hips like she was dancing, swinging from side to side, making him aware that she wanted to be free to explore on her own. 

**XX-XX**

He opened his eyes when he felt her sitting up on him, making him gasp when she started their dance. She didn’t look like she belonged to his world then, but from somewhere else, like heaven or… the Moon. 

Her fingers touched her knees, going up to her thighs, her stomach and her chest, exploring her own body as she danced on top of him - a bit awkwardly and uncoordinated at first. He felt like he shouldn’t touch her then no matter how much he drooled at the sight of her, she seemed under a spell… and she was certainly casting something on him because he couldn’t blink. She played with her hair, moving up and down, making him break down in a cold sweat from the effort to keep still. 

And then he noticed that the beam of moonlight that crept into his bedroom seemed to move towards her. It shone on her feet, then illuminated her legs and her body until she was completely evolved by it. She was beautiful, she was ethereal and he felt like a song was being whispered into his heart, like he was receiving it directly from her. 

But she was his. If he had to prove to the moon that she had always been his, he would do it. And so, he put his hands on her hips, causing her eyes to open in confusion. It took her a few seconds before she gave him a smile that he naughtily returned. Taking it as an invitation, he flipped them over, sheltering her body with his, completely blocking that intrusive light. 

If she knew what he was doing, she didn’t care. Her hips moved with his and she held him close, urging him on with a fire that seemed hotter than the previous hours. Their eyes flashed with love and desire, already knowing where they were heading to. And unlike the previous time, he was overjoyed to hear his name being screamed out of her lips as he felt her body tightening against his, irradiating him into his own peak. 

**XX-XX**

With a satisfied kiss, he caressed her until she closed her eyes and fell asleep once more. With a greedy pride, he looked around to see that the moonlight had completely vanished, leaving his room in a very welcomed blackness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The songs I used is: 
> 
> Terra Naomi – I'll Be Waiting
> 
> Thanks for reading :)


	20. Found

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so happy with all the comments from last chapter! Uh! I want to reply, but I can't so I won't ruin the plot! So, I'll remain quiet from this chapter on. Lol. 
> 
> Oh gosh, keep the comments coming, I love them!

Branch knew his body was sitting down on his kitchen chair, he knew his arms were on the table, he felt his fingers around the coffee mug, but it felt like his brain had gone for a joyride since the night before. About three lovesick sighs later, Poppy noticed his half open eyelids and a goofy grin on his face as he slowly blinked at her. 

“Huh? Branch? Are you in there?” she waved her hands in front of his face, causing him to snap out of his daydream, but still keeping that grin that just wouldn’t go away. “Your coffee is cold.” she giggled, blushing at him, feeling exactly the moments he was reviving in his mind. 

“Wasn’t it… like… infinitely better than you thought it would be?” he asked her, and then grimaced when he sipped the coffee and found out that she was right: it was cold. Poppy nodded and grabbed his mug, standing up to refill it with a fresh one. 

“It was amazing.” Poppy gave him a quick kiss on his lips before returning to his chair. “And I mean all of it: the easiness, the vulnerability combined with trust, the connection… it’s like… we were born for each other.”

“That’s what you meant last night, wasn’t it? We’re… bounded.” It took him several minutes pondering what she had said the night before and in a sudden realization during his shower that morning, it hit him: “We’re connected.”

Blushing, Poppy nodded. She was very happy about it and still a little self-conscious that someone could read her as easily as she could read them.

“Did you remember anything?” He had been dying to ask her since the night before, but he didn’t want to ruin the moment. It felt like she hadn’t brought any full memory to the surface, but when they came together, it was like returning home. 

“I felt everything.” she answered, looking happy and sad at the same time. “I felt how we were. How we still are. But no… no actual memory.”

Branch was too joyous to feel sad about it. He just knew she’d get her memories back. They would find their way there together and he was starting to believe that perhaps they should try it her way. Besides… that ‘feeling’ other than ‘thinking’ was favoring his hormones as well.

“I’ll get our friends together. You need to see them, to party with them.” Branch wondered how he was going to do it in a safe way. Perhaps her pod was a good solution to reunite the Snack Pack, but Branch needed to warn them about discretion. He was getting paranoid all over again because of those guards. If there was anything, he learned from the Party Crashers, it was that anyone could infiltrate the village.

“I think it should be a good idea.” He barely missed her naughty grin and for a moment he thought he had imagined it, but soon her words proved that the way she had bit her lower lip just before speaking wasn’t his imagination. “I hope they’re fun…” And she finger-walked her way up to his arm, making his shiver. “Because if they aren’t, we’ll get back here and spend the whole day naked.”

That wasn’t a good motivation to reunite their friends, Branch figured, if he had to pick between partying and spending the day doing a number of things that didn’t involve clothes with Poppy, Hair, the latter was an unquestionable winner. 

***

“Is he gone?” Barb squished her face between the prison bars and to see the dungeon doors. It looked like nobody was out there guarding them. A rocker nodded from the cell in front of hers and she looked to Riff, who nodded and lifted his hat, setting Debbie free. “My furry baby!” 

“It’s a good thing she’s a heavy sleeper during daytime,” Riff said, putting his hat back on and mirroring Barb’s schemeful grin. 

“I need you to deliver Poppy’s things to her.” 

“Wait, Queen Barb, I’m not following,” another rock troll asked, while sitting down on the floor, with one knee up to support his arm. “Wouldn’t it be smarter to ask Debbie to get the keys so we can break out?”

“Do you really think we can break out on our own?” Barb rolled her eyes, tired of having to explain everything. It seemed her rockers were really smart, but sometimes they were too slow to comprehend the situations they were in. “The old cuckoo said he wants to trade prisoners. They are watching us very closely.”

“I bet if we deliver her things, Branch will figure that we’re hostages, he’ll be prepared when we get there. A huge pop army will be waiting!” Riff crossed his arms, completely trusting the pop troll to gather all the troll's kingdom to fight for them if necessary. 

“We’re not as harmless as mustache thinks, right Carol?” Barb cackled, looking around to other cells, but the rockers shook their heads and raised their shoulders in confusion. “Where’s Carol?”

To answer her question, the dungeon's door burst open with two furious guards pushing a non-impressed rock troll inside. Barb went silent, like everyone else, and hid Debbie behind her until the guard opened a cell and carelessly threw Carol inside. 

"The next troll we find snooping around won't have a pleasant fate." One of them threatened and Carol merely shrugged, as if she didn't care that she was trapped like everybody else. 

Barb wanted to face the guards, to show she was ready to fight them for her friends, but as soon as her eyes set on the one that quietly stood by the door, she almost jumped out of her skin in fright. 

It was like seeing a ghost. 

The white troll had a resemblance of her deceased uncle. His pierced ears and messy hair were strong points that wouldn’t be missed. Not many trolls had a seventies style like he did these days. Barb frowned and thought she was going crazy - that she might be imagining things. After all, the guy disappeared when she was merely a child. 

Suspiciously, she turned to her friends, pretending she didn’t see anything, even if inside her heart was drumming the craziest solo.

“You!” one of the guards pointed at a rocker who was quietly checking his spikes wristband. “Come with us,” in confusion, everybody watched as the troll stood up and followed them out of the dungeons. 

“How many more do you think we’ll need?” The guard that looked like the former rock prince whispered to his co-worker 

“Not many, I hear.” The other guard answered before stepping out.

“Why would they take him?” Barb asked quietly, and Riff just shrugged and watched.

The doors slammed close and all quiet and apprehensive eyes turned to Carol. Debbie flapped her wings out of her hiding place, groaning in her usual way. 

"Where were you, dude?" Riff voiced the question that was on everyone’s minds. 

"I don't know…" she leaned back, clasping her hands behind her head. "... lost you guys when we crossed the kitchen. Great nacho cheese…"

"Oh well, at least you're not hurt." Barb patted Debbie, holding her still while tying the hug watch and the crown to her legs with a small rope "Take this to Poppy, as fast as you can." Then, squeezing the poor hairy bat through the bars of the small window they had as ventilation, Barb set her pet free, sure that she'd successfully accomplish her mission. 

“Hey, where did you get all these, dude?” a white-haired rocker asked and Barb turned around to see what was going on. Apparently, Carol had brought several books with her and was already opening one of them in her uninterested way.

“Dunno… it was around,” she mumbled, spraying cheese out of her nose. 

“Good thinking, Carol…” Riff sat down, taking a book that the white-haired rocker threw at him. “At least we have something to spend our time with.”

But it looked like she wasn’t thinking at all when she got the books. Barb sighed and looked at the window, seeing Debbie getting smaller in the distance. She took her time watching her friends busing themselves with the books, sitting around and chilling much like they used to when they had their time off in their Angler Bus. Nobody looked worried to the point of freaking out. 

Something shiny caught her attention and Barb walked over to Riff, spying the book he was reading over his shoulder. 

“What is that thing?”

It was very amusing. Even if it was a regular book and not the kind of flamboyant scrapbooks Poppy had shown her, there were a few illustrations, only to make it more accurate what it was described in the lines. Barb saw a pink haired troll on the balcony, wearing middle aged clothes, glowing under the moonlight. Everything was neatly written in shiny black ink with fancy letters that seemed to be made by quill. 

“It’s talking about one of the empresses.” Riff said, flipping a few pages. “From like… five hundred years ago.” 

“Mine is seven hundred years old!” somebody shouted from another cell. 

“Oh look, mine is just forty years old. Uh… there’s a list of songs here.” Another troll said, “Look, Highway to Hell!” 

“Hey, your empress liked cool songs, mine is just a bunch of crap I’ve never heard of.”

“Why would they list their favorite songs?”

And as the nonsense conversation when on, Barb frowned, taking the book from the one who said his book was the most recent one.

“Hey”, he protested, but she barely looked at him.

From the first page Barb understood the book was describing the empress’s life, from the day she hatched from the egg to the day she died. One of the descriptions were how many suitors the girl had and how many songs she had composed that had reached a willing heart, whatever that meant. It was utterly confusing, but something seemingly minor caught Barb’s attention. 

The handwriting was the same. 

“Hey man.” She kneeled next to Riff who was really engrossed in a part about a guy who had set his body on fire to prove his undying love to the empress. Jeez… middle age trolls were insane. “Can I see something?”

And when she pushed her own book near his, it was clear as day that the same troll had written those books. 

“Wicked…” Riff whispered, understanding exactly what Barb was looking at. 

‘Wicked, indeed…” 

Meanwhile, outside the dungeon walls, on top of the corridors that connected the towers, a white guard had an arrow aimed at Debbie, with the bow’s string pulled tightly and ready to shoot. 

"Should I take it down, sir?"

"No, let it go." The Prime Minister said, "We weren’t successful finding Pop Village since they moved from the tree. The pet will lead us straight to the Empress."

***

“It’s impossible,” Guy Diamond had his eyes wide, in complete shock. “My glitter is unforgettable.”

“Oh my Guh!” Smidge hugged Poppy, crying her eyes out, making the pink queen feel awkward at the situation. It was the second time in a row that she was hugged by trolls she didn’t know, but who seemed to deeply care about her. In complete loss of words, she quickly glanced at Branch, who looked at her guiltily. There was nothing he could do to break down the news in a gentler way. 

“Not even Mr. D?” Biggie waved Mr. Dinkles in front of Poppy, but to his ultimate shock, she pushed him away with a disgusted smile. It was cute, but it still was a worm. Her attitude was enough for Biggie to join Smidge in a wail, with many tears that ended up nearly flooding the royal pod. 

“Oh, dear, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to be disrespectful,” but the – once - lovely queen couldn’t amend her words and soon Satin and Chenille joined the chorus when Poppy mentioned she just had a limited wardrobe in Pop Village. “It seems everything I say is taken the wrong way!” She whispered to Branch, who decided to intervene. 

“Ok, as you can see, she doesn’t remember us,” the teal troll said, rubbing his temples with little patience. “So, you’re here to help sparkle her memories.”

“How do we do that?” Smidge sobbed, gripping Poppy’s dress. 

“We’ve had progress with things that… hmm…” he blushed, seeing that Poppy matched him in redness. “...indulge her feelings.”

“Ohhh, a scrapbook then! There’s nothing Poppy loves more than scrapbook.” Biggie clapped his hand, going straight to the shelf where the queen kept her trophies and her supplies. 

“And party!” Guy Diamond picked up a trail, filling it up with cupcakes that Cooper immediately provided. Satin and Chenille decorated a table and Smidge filled bottles of juice. In less than fifteen minutes they had a scrapbook party ready and they all were sitting down in a circle eagerly cutting characters that would tell their most treasured adventures with their queen. 

The funny thing was: Branch didn't know most of the stories they recreated for Poppy who looked incredibly happy to hear them. She paid attention to each word, to each excited sound, to each onomatopoeia they made, keeping her serene attitude with a soft understanding. Biggie even went through her old scrapbooks to show her some of their adventures.

It occurred to Branch that Poppy was listening to her stories through someone else's interpretation. Their tales left out how hard she tried to be what everybody expected from her, how exhaustive her teen years had been and how scorned she was by the elders over any tiny failure. Her past had molded her golden child fixation. In order to be praised and to be the best at everything, her essence was forgotten in a corner. 

Like King Peppy had said… she adjusted to pop village. What had mattered then was to be loved as Queen.

So, maybe, the memory loss wasn't overall a bad thing. She had a chance to redo her memories under a stress-free environment. Poppy had also forgotten the horrible first kiss experience and it was obvious now that she felt free enough to enjoy her explorations with him. He doubted she'd be as forward as she had been the night before if she wasn't stripped from her insecurities. 

"And then we spinned the bottle and you got locked in the wardrobe with Creek!" Cooper laughed, showing Poppy his scrapbook. 

"Uh, sorry about that, Poppy." Smidge said. 

"We would never have allowed you to get in there with him if we knew he'd sell us out." Satin said, causing everybody else to nod in agreement. 

"Ha! I know how we can make it up to her!" Guy Diamond had the most devilish ideas, Poppy noticed he was in an eternal party spirit and immediately understood why they were best friends. Only, she didn't have much time to catch what he meant before she was thrown inside the wardrobe with Branch. "Ha! If that doesn't remind you of anything then I give up." Guy declared, cleaning his hands.

"Hey, this is not funny, guys!" The nervous teal troll knocked on the door from inside, completely panicking about keeping his hands to himself when Poppy was beside him and their friends were right there, listening to everything. 

"What just happened?" Poppy looked at him, completely lost. It was dark and hot in there so he couldn't see her expression, but the hint of amusement in her voice was an indication that she was fine with their new arrangement. 

"I completely forgot to warn you about how… carried away they could get." Branch scratched the back of his neck. He gave up knocking and sat back, brushing a blue dress out of the way. "In seven minutes, they will let us out."

"Seven minutes?" Her voice sounded way too excited. "That's convenient."

Poppy was impatient. Branch noticed as soon as her tiny hands grabbed his leaf vest and yanked him forward, practically climbing on top of him at the same time. He had never played that imprisoning game, and apparently, from the last fiasco - which she didn’t remember - she never got herself in another game like that. 

**XX-XX**

It was a complete shock when her hands quickly went inside his shorts at the same time her mouth connected with his. It was impossible not to get excited, even if his rational, down-to-earth brain, got alarmed by the fact that their friends were barely centimeters away from them! And how was he able to keep quiet?

“Hair, Poppy… can’t we wait?” Branch freaked out, but kissed her back and got his own hands to explore. He loved the curve of her waist, going down enough to squeeze her hips. He felt that she had pushed her panties to the side. Wait for what, again?

It was so ridiculously hot, making love in a tight space where they barely had room to move properly, and with their clothes oddly pulled out of the way just to burn that uncontrollable desire that couldn’t wait another second from feeling each other. He bit down her neck and she opened her mouth to gasp in surprise, but he was quick in covering her lips with his hand. 

Oh hair, he loved feeling her coming undone like that. Poppy shuddered with just a few more moves, making him so proud to be able to get her there fast and, as quickly, she returned the favor. He felt her eyes closing and her head falling on his shoulder. He was just as spent and when she weighed on his side, he barely had the time to hold her so both ended up on the floor, with clothes and shoes scattered around them. 

**XX-XX**

Branch fell halfway on top of her, with a gentle hand on her back and another buried on the layers of her beautiful wavy hair. Breathing heavily, he felt her lips really close to his, and couldn’t resist but to reach for another kiss. Only, this time he was cut off by a scream. 

It took him a split of second to understand that Poppy was the one who screamed and that she was scared of him. He retreated like she had burned him, adjusting his shorts just before the doors burst open with worried looks of the Snack Pack. 

“What happened?” Smidge asked, clenching her hands into firsts, threatening to punch Branch into a pulp. 

All eyes were on her. Poppy blinked a few times, seeing each one of the trolls that called themselves her friends. She studied their expressions; seeing that they all looked genuinely worried and Branch… poor Branch, looked like he had seen a scary movie. It wasn’t her intention to scream. She just recalled a horrible sensation when his lips got closer, as if it was going to taste awful and she’d have to pretend she liked it. 

It was completely insane, because it was Branch… and they had just made love. 

A memory. That horrible thing must have been a memory. 

“I’m sorry.” Poppy said quietly, sitting up, still a little hazed. She gave Branch a nervous look, but she was relieved to see that his shoulders had fallen, meaning he wasn’t scared anymore. “I don’t know what came over me.”

“Maybe the seven minutes in heaven wasn’t a good idea…” Biggie looked down, feeling ashamed for having put Poppy in that position all over again. 

“Perhaps the problem is the game itself.” Chenille suggested. “She wasn’t comfortable with neither Creek or Branch.”

The memoryless queen stayed quiet, watching her friends going about the possibilities that perhaps it wasn’t a good game at all. 

“Excuse me.” Poppy said, standing up, going straight to the bathroom and locking the door behind her.

“Hm…” Guy Diamond scratched his cheek. “How did she know the bathroom was there?”

Poppy paced on the tiled floor, her mind was absorbing the important parts that basically put a few things together: Branch wasn’t her first boyfriend, she didn’t have good experiences in the past and Biggie seemed to be the one who was actually worried about her and not about the game at all. Perhaps, he was her best friend and could be trusted just in case...

“I know!” Smidge suddenly busted out, making everybody look down at her squealing behavior. “Tomorrow is the Hair Ball! It’s one of Poppy’s favorite parties!” Poppy left the bathroom in time to see what was going on.

“Ohhh she’ll definitely remember something then!” Guy Diamond loved the idea, of course, he loved the idea to shine all night. 

“She’ll remember to hang decorations.” Chenille snickered, looking at her sister who was holding her laugh. 

The ideas for the party went on, Branch crossed his arms and wondered how he was supposed to make Poppy look discreet enough to attend the party so she wouldn't attract unwanted attention.

The noise of flapping wings outside made them look out of the window. It was already dark and nobody noticed the time had passed. The sound got louder until Debbie flew inside, bumping on a few shelves and making Poppy’s old scrapbooks fall on the floor. 

“Hey, it’s Queen Barb’s bat, isn’t it?” Biggie asked, picking it up from the floor, having the first bad impression he had from it completely vanishing now that they were friends with the Rock Trolls. 

Branch, feeling a tight sensation in his chest creeping from his spine, got into his battle mode, like turning a switch. His lines deepened in a frown and he approached the hideous animal noticing that it had a few things tied to its legs. 

As if coordinated, Hug Time twinkled their watches, making everyone but Branch and Poppy engulf each other in a big group hug. The Empress was confused, but she saw when her boyfriend picked a small bag from the bat, having something lightening up from inside. With shaky fingers, he showed her a glowing pink bracelet with a flower. 

“This one is yours.” Branch said, placing it in her hands so she could see it properly. She had noticed that every pop troll had one and she was about to ask what that was all about when he unfolded a leaf crown that also was inside the bag. “And so is this…” 

“Oh my Guh, it’s Poppy’s things!” 

For they were the only ones that knew Barb had gone to the Moon Island, Poppy and Branch shared a worried look, but different things went through their minds. The teal troll was torn between happiness that it was proof that the slimey Prime Minister had caused her memory loss, so if there was the slightest drop of a doubt about her life in Pop Village, it would show her she had been a victim of a very elaborated scheme. On the other hand, he wondered why Barb would send Debbie and not come personally to tell them about her findings. He couldn’t think of many possibilities other than bad ones: either she didn’t get an answer and was feeling ashamed, or she got hurt, or she got kicked out, or she had been captured herself. 

On Poppy’s mind, on the other hand, only the worst-case scenario was played, but the bat (weird and nasty thing, by the way) was clearly carrying one message: to stay alert. She recalled all the times the Prime Minister insisted she went to bed late, when she was too exhausted to question about her life. She had many questions, indeed. 

She remembered waking up one night, feeling light headed, seeing him looking worriedly at her by her bedside. The Prime Minister had said she had fallen down the stairs and she believed it was a good excuse why she was feeling confused. Her head throbbed and her body felt like it didn’t belong to her. Poppy had tried to redo the mental steps that lead to her falling down the stairs, but only numbness and hollow memories were reached. It seemed her days were endlessly boring, with a repeated routine of waking up, eating, singing, blowing the songs away, then bathing and connecting to the moon before bed. Nothing different happened. 

How could she never question that? 

“We should mail Barb back.” Branch said, tying the Hug Watch on her wrist. It looked so perfect… like it belonged there. “To check on her.” Poppy opened her mouth to reply and fill him with her worries, but he seemed to have things under control when he turned to Smidge. “Do you think Milton can lend me a Mail Critter?”

“Why not Slug Mail?” Biggie adjusted Mr. Dinkle’s hat when saying that. 

“I need something… a little faster.” 

“I’m sure Milton has something really fast.” Smidge turned red, thinking of her boyfriend. She went numbering down the species that could be used and jumped out of the pod.

“I better follow her.” Branch said to Poppy who only nodded and decided to wait for him. Her handsome boyfriend asked Biggie to watch out for her, to keep an eye on the bushes and the tall trees for any suspicious movement. Biggie was glad to help and their friends formed a patrol team to check the area. Branch briefly kissed her before jumping out.

Only Poppy and Biggie remained inside the pod and the girl had her mind set on working on her lost memories. 

“So… Biggie…” She said quietly, testing how his name sounded. The blue troll smiled sympathetically at her. “It seems you’re one of my best friends.”

“I like to think so, Queen Poppy… I’m sorry, Empress Poppy.”

“Just Poppy is fine.” She smiled, walking around the room to pick several scrapbooks that were on the walls. “Could you help me with the most important scrapbooks?”

“Sure but… what are you looking for?” He sat down, crossing his legs, and picking the first one on the pile. 

“Not ‘what I’m looking for, it’s ‘who I’m looking for.’.” She buried her nose on the first one. 

“Who?” He asked curiously and observed as her eyebrows shot up, her eyes looked at him with her big magenta eyes as if she was stating the obvious. 

“Myself.”

***

Just outside the pod, Cooper said hello to a troll he had never seen before.

Laughing, Cooper missed when the troll wrote down “found her” on a note. 


	21. The White Room

The uneasy feeling of waiting for an answer from Barb dragged into the night, and the only comfort Branch had, from the consuming guilt of allowing the Queen of Rock to go to a dangerous place without proper backup, was Poppy’s warm fingers firmly intertwined with his. It was clear as day now that when she touched him, she eased him up, and she did it intentionally. The invisible link secluded them in their own affectionate world. 

He wasn’t going insane. It was one of the side effects of having a soulmate, wasn’t it? To know what the other was thinking, completing their words, feeling what they were feeling and craving for the same things. Branch noticed they started humming the same songs and once he was back in her pod, he noticed her own scent was mixed with his. Despite their previous activities inside the wardrobe, they were becoming one; strawberry mint seemed to be their own couple signature scent. 

Poppy, on the other hand, was deep in thought. Even if she instinctively took care of him by sending happy feelings, her own mind was caught up in the several scrapbooks she had read in the past couple of hours. She hadn’t been the happiest of queens as everybody made her out to be. Through the many passages of her life she had read, it was obvious that she made an effort to be what her subjects expected her to be, even if she was confused with her role. Poppy was even reckless many times to ‘trust’ that everything would be fine in the end.

Outside her trail of thought, her heart was heavy with Branch’s feelings. He gave her the impression they were heading for an imminent confrontation and it would be wise to move out of the troll village so nobody would get hurt because of her. His feelings indicated he was alarmed.

_One last day_ , she thought to herself. The following night would be the Hair Ball and she had a feeling that would make her so happy that she would remember something. She would remember the laughter, the hugs, the beautiful decorations that she scrapbooked about. And she would dance with Branch all night; it was going to be the first time they went to the ball as a couple and she knew it would mean a lot to him. 

Poppy quickly took off the oversized jacket and hat once they locked the trapdoor; Branch reached for the lever and the elevator started going down. She watched his serious face like she had never seen him before. 

He had been her obsession. She wrote about him, she dedicated years of her time to make him notice her. She just wanted to be his friend and it was obvious - now that she read it under a new light, like it was somebody else’s story - that she had always been head over heels in love with him. 

But she couldn’t help but shut Branch out of one very disturbing feeling. She read her journals - in her own childish bubbly letters - how year after year she tried to capture Branch’s attention just to be rejected, to have her invitations and even her gifts torn apart right in front of her eyes. 

It was the first time she felt the inclination of disliking him. He did not lie that he was grumpy, but reading how he mistreated her for years when she was nothing but a happy and hopeful child… Hair… it just hurt.

He seemed to have locked those bad feelings in the past. Now he had nothing but love towards her.

Actually… - Poppy smiled to herself - it was easier knowing he wasn’t perfect. That her life hadn’t been cupcakes and rainbows in Pop Village or in the Moon Island. 

It made her decision easier.

“Are you hungry?” He made his way to the kitchen to prepare something for her, but before he did, she hugged him from behind. Her hands went under his vest to touch him and she shut her eyes so tightly that involuntary tears escaped from their corners. “Are you okay?”

“Somebody kept us apart.” Poppy said in a voice that was muffled by his leaf vest. Branch tensed at her words. “I’ve read all my scrapbooks this afternoon.”

Startled, Branch turned around in her arms, looking incredibly confused. 

“No, I was avoiding you,” he began to explain. “I preferred to be alone,”

Shaking her head, Poppy turned around, suddenly remembering the invitation that had made her feel bad. Branch followed her to his room where she flipped all the scrapbooks one by one until she found the odd Taco Tuesday one. 

“I’m sad about this one because it was when I gave up on you,” Poppy explained, giving it to a perplexing Branch. 

The wheels turned in his brain. That Taco Tuesday invitation was the last one she had made before the Bergen Liberation card. It was the day when she ran away after seeing Gia leaving his bunker. 

“I still feel like my heart was ripped out when I see it…” Poppy said quietly, looking at her hands with a sudden urge to rip the invitation apart.

“Hair, Poppy, you thought I was seeing Gia?!” The cloudy thoughts were slowly clearing. That day Creek was there to make sure Poppy had gotten the wrong message. He felt an incredible urge to explain what had happened several years ago, but Poppy stopped him just when he started.

“It’s okay,” she smiled, but Branch noticed she was still shaken by everything. 

But it wasn’t okay. Anger made Branch’s blood boil. He remembered Creek saying he had a lady in his bunker that day, loud and as obnoxiously as he could, so a retreating, brokenhearted princess would hear. Just when Branch had started coming out of his shell to socialize with Poppy, Creek had ruined it for them. 

The guru was the one who kept them apart.

Branch was going to beat Creek to a pulp next time he saw him. Angrily, the teal troll stormed into the kitchen, deciding he needed to drink something to calm his nerves.

“I want you to ask you something,” Poppy’s voice sounded quietly from behind him, melting his anger as he focused on her needs. 

“Anything,” his voice cracked in fear. He felt something serious and a hint of farewell was looming. He hated it and she quickly pushed it away, as if she had accidentally allowed the feeling to be irradiated to him. 

“Tomorrow, when we wake up, I want you to treat me like you used to. I want to have a normal day around the Village,”

Branch bit his lip hearing her words. She wanted to go outside without a disguise. She wanted to dance and hug and sing. She wanted to, completely and unsafely, expose herself. 

She wanted to know how it was like to belong in Pop Village. She wanted to feel what it was like to belong there and not in some castle.

“I don’t know if it’s wise…” 

“... and then, during the evening, we’ll go together to the Hair Ball and we’re going to have fun the entire night,”

It was obvious that she was trying to keep her desperation in check, but their connection made it impossible for her to hide things from him. It all beamed in his spirit that she believed it would make her remember. What she felt was so strong that it was impossible to resist. 

“All right,” he faced her with that sweet smile that was so rare. A rush of fire burned her cheeks while her eyes fixed on his blue ones. He was so handsome. “Tomorrow we’ll pretend nothing happened.”

Then an idea occurred to him. The Hair Ball could be the perfect opportunity to fix one of his mistakes. One he had deeply regretted when he was about to die under the water. 

“Poppy…” Her lips curled up and her eyes sparkled at what he was going to say. “Tomorrow we’ll redo your Prom Night.”

“What?” Confusion was clear in her face and he melted into his idea. 

“I was young then; I should have asked if you wanted to dance.” Branch made an apologetic side smile at her. “You were sad, you didn’t have a date and I just sat by your side. Allow me to fix my mistake.”

Poppy did read the scrapbook about her prom and it was true she was sad at how it went. She raised a teasing eyebrow at him. And here Branch was now, offering to change her bad experience into a good one. 

“If you hated me, then… what were you doing there?” She asked in a sing-song voice.

“Ah…” Branch blushed, completely caught off guard. “I sort of… liked to watch you.” He didn’t have to complete it. Poppy smiled, getting the message: he took care of her.

“Thank you.” Raising on her toes, she aimed her mouth to his, needing to take in that smile like it was a forbidden fruit from the heavens. The thought, though, made her break apart before he deepened it. Then a blush followed, and she fidgeted with his clothes while timidly saying, “I want to show you something tonight.”

Branch was a curious troll and the prospect of seeing something different made him rush through dinner, chopping the vegetables in different sizes and shapes, making their salad look oddly more like abstract art than food. Poppy giggled when he put the plate down and he punished her with a kiss and a grope, which only made her laugh harder. It was so insanely hot to be able to have that domestic routine with her that he wondered if he would ever be able to live in separate places again. 

It got darker as they ate; the firebugs lightened up, illuminating the bunker with the usual warm yellowish light. Poppy rested her chin on her hands, watching him as he finished his food. Branch barely blinked, staring at her as she allowed her glow to emerge. It was so discreet that he had to look twice to make sure it was there. The white stone on her ring also seemed brighter. The spoon missed his mouth twice. 

“How are you doing this?” he asked, completely bewildered. 

“It just happens.” she whispered, staring at him a little shy and a little bold; looking incredibly like a goddess and like a little girl at the same time. “The Moon is calling,” she explained, raising from her chair and taking his hands with hers to lift him up. “You’re welcome to join me.”

“Where are we going?” He stepped on the elevator, panicking that she had left her covers behind. 

“Just up,” was her simple answer. They stopped at the entrance, that small place between the elevator’s last stop and the trapdoor. He felt his stomach clenching in anxiety when she opened the door completely, allowing the moonlight in. She didn’t step outside though. It was enough just where they stood. 

Branch felt like walking into an ancient temple. The moonlight reached for her like it had a will of its own. Sparkling dust floated around her; her glitter-freckled cheeks brightened up when she looked up to the source of her empire. Poppy reached for her ring, turning the stone to the first quarter. 

Her hair floated around her in ripples, like she was underwater, she closed her eyes and the moment she opened them again, Branch saw that the girl he knew wasn’t there anymore. She completely gave herself to the Moon, enchanted by it. 

Branch understood what King Peppy meant when he said he watched Empress Lily absorbed in her ritual. It was beautiful and frightening at the same time. Poppy raised her arms as if she could grab the Moon, as if asking to go up there. 

It was a fragile spell. If the light was blocked, he was sure she would stir awake like that night on her balcony, when the sound of his steps made her turn to see him. It was precisely that thought that made it all so scary for him, because she was going through it by choice. 

His heart filled up with love, like birds chanting mixed tunes directly into it. Branch noticed Poppy had touched his hand just lightly, so he could feel what she was feeling through their link. 

Overwhelming excitement was blown inside him like a gentle breeze. It slowly renewed the air, the feelings, the thoughts… like cleaning up the bad emotions, healing wounds and purifying intrusive reasoning. It felt like there was nothing else in the world. He didn’t remember himself. It was him and the Moon. 

He felt ready to receive something, then. 

And a song was what he got. All the words, the beats, the instruments, the scales… everything involved him in warmness at the same time he mused over how perfectly Poppy’s arms felt when she wrapped them around him. 

A cloud shaded them; the moonlight was gone and the spell was broken in the precise moment their lips connected.

“Did you feel it?” she asked, backing up slightly, but not opening her eyes. 

“I felt… so many things.” It was hard to explain. It was like when they made love. He reached up, passing through the atmosphere, going out of their planet, and still going up to join the universe. He could feel everything, the sun, the stars, the Moon. He felt like he was one with them, like he was one with her. 

_“Looking for you lost in my emptiness_

_When the night makes me weary_

_Cold and lonely”_

The song took form into his heart. He didn’t open his mouth to sing, but instead he felt it and she smiled, leaning her head on his shoulder, listening to his song as it pounded into her heart as well. 

_“Looking for ecstasy to make me live again_

_A supernatural feeling when you hold me”_

The night got darker once the moon was gone. He felt her feet going from one side to another, swaying slowly as he held her back, moving his hands the way she liked, going up to caress her hair and getting an approving moan in return. 

_“Every time you are here beside me_

_There is thunder, there is lightning_

_I feel the earth move and it's a different story_

_All the power the heaven and the glory”_

Branch spun them around. If someone was watching, they would see two trolls dancing in a musicless rhythm. The only sounds were their steps and rustling of their clothes as they brushed against each other. Nobody could guess the song was loudly playing into their hearts, expanding their tiny world into their own private orchestra. 

_“It's almost like a mystical experience_

_To feel I'm born again when you come near me_

_To reach the stars above me_

_The minute that you love me_

_Oh! It's like a mystical experience”_

Poppy’s mild glow touched his skin, irradiating him to start glowing himself. The tingling sensation felt familiar, like the first time he sang for her. The blessing of being able to shut out the harmful environment and to comfort each other felt like it was something only they could provide. They were unique for each other. 

_“Almost like a mystical experience_

_To rise with every step as you come near me_

_And when I'm closer to ya_

_Your kisses hallelujah_

_Take me to a mystical experience”_

Branch closed the trapdoor, making sure it was shut with at least three different locks. They had a lot to talk about and to feel and there was no way they would be interrupted. He never let go of her, with one arm firmly around her waist, their lips glued on each other and he backwalked her into his bedroom, hearing her holding a giggle when he accidentally bumped on the half open door. 

His leaf vest was the first to go, then it was her blue dress and the under layers, leaving a trail of clothes on their way. Branch had a feeling that if she still had her memories she would blush and cover herself each time he undressed her, but it was so liberating seeing her free of any self-consciousness to present herself in her full glory for him. 

_“Won't you please hurry back_

_Now that I need you so_

_To drive away all the sorrow_

_And to guide me_

_Bring the song of your happiness into my loneliness_

_To exorcise all the demons that live inside of me”_

**XX-XX**

Butterflies flapped their wings inside her stomach when he leaned above her, holding her gently with a hand on her back. She could never get enough of that delirious anticipating feeling; it was the same with their kisses, when they started getting hotter, it was like she was being fed the sweetest candy and she couldn’t get enough. 

Branch backed up to tuck a strand of hair out of her eyes, holding her with arms and legs and looking so dashing she could cry. There wasn’t a drop of loneliness in their world anymore. His hand went down, exploring her like he had done the last times. His intense blue eyes never left hers, admiring the way she squirmed under him. 

They marveled on the way their bodies molded. It would never cease to amaze them how meticulously perfect they fit. He nuzzled her cheek, taking turns between hot open-mouthed kisses combining with the way he moved above her. The alternating movements showed exactly how he felt: lustful and gentle. Caring and wild. Their spirits asked exactly for those complementing actions. His roughness called her softness then they traded places. 

They both mixed their scents. It got stronger between sweat and pants of breath. His grip was firm on her legs and her fingers clutched his dark blue hair, intensely staring at each other. Both feeling their insides twisting in passion. 

It was too new and all too primitive. Like they had met in previous lives. Perhaps it was instinct, but Branch knew she was close, from the way she closed her eyes and furrowed her brows, so he moved his hand down to touch her and it was like she was becoming hot liquid in his arms. He couldn’t even blink. Her body rose, tensing up, then fell back down, riding the waves of love. 

He moved again when he felt she was ready. He wanted to take his turn, but she stopped him with a delicate hand on his chin, bringing him close for a passionate kiss. 

“I want to go again.”

And from that, he melted into her kiss and relaxed his urgency. They had the whole night. 

**XX-XX**

_“Life without you is like a stranger_

_Full of shadows , full of danger,_

_But when you are with me_

_The world is full of passion_

_When you touch me_

_A magical reaction”_

He ran his fingers through the length of her arms as they lay down, several hours later. Both their eyes were closed, but they knew the other wasn’t asleep. They were happy like they had never been before. They learned the meaning of ‘home’ then. It wasn’t a place, it was someone. 

Branch understood so many things from experiencing it all with her. He felt like crying with joy for contemplating the grandness of their existence. There was something meaningful knowing that they lived for each other and at the same time. 

He also knew then that she wasn’t going to retrieve her memories. 

The way he felt when the Moon prepared him to receive his song made it clear that they needed to have a pure heart. She needed to be free from things that held her back, from insecurities, from things she repeatedly heard her teachers, doctors and parents saying: that she wasn’t good enough, that she should try harder to be perfect, so she could be the Queen she was expected to be.

“Perfect scores”

“role model”

“perfect parties”

“always happy”

“good mental health”

“meditate”

“sleep eight hours”

“be there for your friends”

“cooking class”

“hair jitsu class”

“empowerment”

“it’s okay to cry”

“rule”

“a good Queen listens.”

The Moon got rid of her toxic positive vibrations and with them, the memories that imprinted them. It was like giving a child’s room a new painting. It got clean beautiful walls, but the drawings, the height marks and the stickers got removed, erasing precious moments they lived. 

_“It's almost like a mystical experience_

_To feel I'm born again when you come near me_

_To reach the stars above me_

_The minute that you love me_

_Oh! It's like a mystical experience”_

So, unless they could un-trigger the Moon from her blood, Branch gave up hope of having his bubbly Queen back in her fullest. He heard her breathing deepening, her hand that was caressing his chest stopped moving. He didn’t have to look down to see that she had fallen asleep, so he pushed up the blankets and covered them both, snuggling close in a protective embrace.

_“Almost like a mystical experience_

_To rise with every step as you come near me_

_And when I'm closer to ya_

_Your kisses hallelujah_

_Take me to a mystical experience”_

“Are you happier like this?”

***

Poppy woke up with the smell of coffee. She was vaguely aware that she had nothing on except warm fuzzy blankets. Glasses were clinking next to her and the mattress moved under the weight of Branch returning to bed. A smile escaped her lips and she buried her face deeper into the pillow. He kissed her shoulder and whispered in her ear.

“Morning, Queen Poppy.”

Branch did exactly what she had asked. He woke her up like he used to and she knew it because she felt the familiarity in his words. The breakfast in bed felt like a gift, like some new routine he was trying to start before they got separated. 

She stirred and turned around, meeting his tender smile with her own. He was wearing white undershirt and sweatpants and smelled freshly showered. They were supposed to act like it was a regular thing, but she was curious about his morning habits and he didn’t miss the inquiring eyebrow that raised slightly as she studied his rigid arm muscles and a few bruises on his shoulders. 

“Sensei wasn’t happy I missed a few days of Hair Jitsu,” he explained, “then I did some weight lifting until it was time to wake you up.” And he gave her the mug with the perfect mix of milk and honey, knowing she would appreciate the taste with her eyes closed. “I have to run some errands around the village before lunch.” He didn’t look at her eyes then, sipping on his coffee as she intensely watched him. “So, I thought about leaving you with Biggie and Smidge so you can help them with the party decorations.”

Even if it felt disappointing that she wasn’t going to spend her morning with him, she felt very excited about helping with the decorations. She could already see how the party would look: glitter everywhere! Disco balls, then lanterns and super elaborated napkins… and the punch should have colorful ice cubes with fruit inside! 

Her imagination ran off, planning everything; she didn’t even complain when he - once again - hid her under the jacket and hat before starting the elevator. He took a moment to notice how the upper level of the bunker was filled with flowers. He hadn't noticed them the night before. Shrugging it off, he took Poppy’s hand and led her outside.

Their friends were already working on confetti poppers and they knew all about Branch’s concerns about her safety, so they didn’t ask about it when he dropped her at Smidge’s pod. 

Branch returned to the bunker, hearing her singing about how happy she was feeling with her friends joining her in a spur of energy. Smidge’s pod even shook with their dancing and the teal troll couldn’t help but grin. Her friends were a great source of happy memories, he couldn’t be selfish to keep her from reconnecting with them. He was also surprised how willing everyone was to help her, showing a mature attitude that wasn’t expected from his own experiences with them. 

And so, the first thing he did when he got back was to shut the bunker so he wouldn’t get interrupted. The confrontation was coming. Barb’s bat indicated as much. So, Branch did what he could do when threats approached. 

He got prepared. 

Branch had tirelessly trained that morning, like he had done the days when he was in the village. He learned how to spin and dodge with the weight of his father’s sword; how to attack and pierce the enemy with a lethality that didn’t belong to the happiest creatures in the world. But he was the head of their security, if someone had to fight and save lives, it was going to be him. 

Using wood and metal, he forged light pads for his arms and legs to go with the rest of the armor Riff had given him. Studying himself in the mirror, he saw that he was mostly covered, his vital organs were protected. His leaf vest and shorts weren’t adequate for the fighting outfit, so he picked up folded black clothes he had gotten from Satin and Chenille that morning. It looked like a regular black shirt, pants and boots, but they were thicker, lighter and flexible. He could move around freely. 

Seeing himself in the mirror, Branch realized he looked like an updated version of his father. It scared and made him proud at the same time. He tied the sword on his side and tried it out, moving it around like a professional swordstroll. Mentally asking for his old man’s protection, he spun around aiming for an apple that had remained on the breakfast tray. He finished the move and put the sword back in the scabbard on his side, watching with a smirk as the apple slid to the side in two parts, falling on the ground exposing the quick and clean cut. 

The Prime Minister could come. He was ready. 

Sometime later, his Hug Watch twinkled and Branch quickly undressed, hiding his armor, sword, rocks and pointy sticks inside the closet. He needed to set traps before it was time to pick Poppy up. He only forgot to hide the scrapbook that had started the whole story. He was too engrossed in the fighting part; he didn’t even look that it was opened on the page that illustrated his father’s outfit. 

***

“I don’t like it, Queen Poppy.” Biggie was biting the tips of his fingers in apprehension. It looked like he was going to cry any minute. “You are important here! With us!”

“Well…” Poppy smiled gently at her worried friends. She didn’t expect them to understand. She didn’t fully comprehend her decision herself, but her heart was telling it was the right thing to do. “It’s a diplomatic resolution.”  
  


“There must be another way out,” Smidge looked equally on the verge of tears. “It’s not fair!”

“I hope it won’t come to that.” Poppy intensely watched them, standing with her back straight, fisted hands on her sides and looking like an Empress that was giving an irrefutable command. “But if it does, I need you to promise me. As a friend.”

It took Biggie a while to nod. He had to put Mr. Dinkle’s on the ground, seeing that he didn’t feel like he should be holding the delicate worm when making such stern promises. If there was someone who could do what she asked, they were Smidge and Biggie: the stronger trolls in the village. 

“Poppy!” They all jumped in surprise when they heard Branch calling from outside. They returned to their places, scrapbooking and cooking, like nothing serious was going on. The young warrior melted in a smile to see her in - what he affectionately called - her natural habitat: broad smiles, scissors, glue, colorful paper, glitter and cupcakes all around. “It’s time to get ready for the Hair Ball.”

And just as he said that, her eyes gleamed and she surprised them with a sudden and unnoticed memory.

“I should visit Maddie to get my hair done.”

***

Barb had her eyes fixed on the wall. She could have sworn there was a crack under the window before nightfall. They had spent the whole night engrossed in the books, finding links in the tales that when she lifted her eyes to check on the sun that was rising, she didn’t see the crack anymore. 

“It’s him, isn’t it?” Riff confirmed Barb’s fears. They had spent hours flipping the books inside the dungeon. There was no doubt left. 

The witchcraft tale she was being told as a child was true. Well, not exactly ‘witch’, but it certainly had a weird vibe that surrounded the whole story. Poppy was the heiress of a curse, not an Empire. She was merely being used to keep the Prince alive with his greediness and the worst part was: they hadn’t figured out how to break the curse. There was no way out. 

Barb was sure the Prince was alive and hiding somewhere in the castle. The whole island leeched off the Empress’s existence. Without her vow they would all become ruins, get old and eventually die. 

Barb could only assume that the crack was gone because Poppy had used her powers that night.

The island commanded all the kingdoms, keeping them apart so they wouldn’t become one strong troll nation. They had been ruled by fear all the time.

The key to stop everything was to break the vow, but how? It was impossible to drain Poppy from her blood. There was no way she could stop being the Child of the Moon.

“Everybody, stand up!” one of the guards shouted, hitting his sword against the bars, making the rockers stand in apprehension. 

Barb puffed up, feeling hate consuming her as she watched the Prime Minister walking inside with a smug grin, his hands were behind his back and he was dressed in fighting clothes. 

“I want the Queen of Rock.” He pointed at Barb, then indicated two more trolls that were with her in the same cell. “Take more than one. We might need to behead one to show the Pops we're not bluffing.” Riff whimpered when he was pulled out of the cell and so did the other troll. 

“You know we won’t make it easy for you,” Barb growled, being pushed forward. 

“Take that one.” The Prime Minister pointed to another troll who looked taller and healthier than the other rockers that mindlessly sat around their cells. Then his eyes turned to Barb, “And you, Queen of Rock, will come with us for a little... persuasion.” 

Crossing her arms and rolling her eyes, Barb followed her dull captor while he led the tall rocker up the staircase, into the West Wing, where they all stopped in front of a white door. Quietly, the Prime Minister took off his helmet and snickered at Barb, pulling the rocker inside and closing the door behind them, shutting her out completely.

“What was the freaking point in making me walk all the way here if he’s going to shut me out?” Barb asked the white guards, kicking the wall in frustration. They remained silent, only looking at each other to reassure themselves of their silence. 

Screams were heard from inside the door and Barb looked at it. The guards yielded their swords when she fruitlessly tried to turn the handle. Panicking, she tried kicking it open. The screams got louder and louder until they died in a silent buzz. 

Stepping back, Barb had her hands taken to immobilize her, so she wouldn’t attack anyone. The moment the door opened, her eyes widened in fright and realization. 

Her rocker friend walked out looking completely white. 

“Dude! What happened?!” she yelled, but her friend just averted his eyes, like his lips were sealed. “What the Hair, man!”

The Prime Minister emerged from behind him, looking less wrinkled, taller and bulkier. It took Barb a few moments to understand what had happened. 

“I hope you’ve been persuaded enough.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everybody! I’m sorry I’ve been away for a while. Apparently, I’ve had a burnout crisis, with the heat, migraines and life changing decisions. All I can do now is rest and try not to over-work.
> 
> Anyway, this chapter was proofed by the lovely @thebroppytrain. Thank you for always helping me. Luv Ya!


	22. The Gift

It was amazing how small things could make him appreciate life more. Branch watched Poppy dressed in her usual white party dress with her hair tied up in a knot, since it wouldn’t stay up like it used to. She chatted animatedly with her friends, with her dad and with her subjects. Most of them didn’t know she had the memory loss problem and she was perfectly aware how ‘normal’ she looked. 

He had set alarms and traps everywhere. Nobody would sneak in their village without getting captured by a net… or crushed by a rock. Tonight, it was about their lives and nobody would come in between them. 

“Branch?” DJ called from the Wooferbug, showing him an envelope. With a quick look to check on Poppy - who was spinning around with Guy Diamond - he climbed next to Suki. The same critter that he had sent to Volcano Rock City had returned, with the letter unopened, indicating that he couldn’t find the destination. Groaning in frustration, Branch wondered if he should have gone for the good and old snug mail. 

Turning around to return to Poppy, Branch almost tripped on a rock that was right behind him. Curiously, he wondered how he hadn’t seen it there. Just then, the rock moved and he could spot a familiar eye. 

“Herman!” he whispered, sitting down next to him, trying not to drag any attention to scare his hermit friend. “What are you doing here?”

“I’ve spotted marching trolls from the east, coming this way,” Herman said, still pretending to be a rock. 

“I figured they would come…” Branch looked down, not needing Herman to explain who they were. 

“The Queen of Rock is a prisoner, along with two other trolls,” the teal troll felt his blood bubbling in anger when hearing that. “I estimate they’ll arrive around noon.” Without giving Branch a chance to answer properly, Herman rolled out of the party, going to hide away from the imminent battle.

So, as Branch feared, things would result in a nasty battle. He hoped his traps would be enough to prevent anyone from getting hurt. He needed to talk to his friends to get everybody ready for the possible outcome.

Branch’s paranoid alert beeped in his brain and he turned around, scanning the area for Poppy. She was feeling scared and he felt his breathing going shallow, matching hers even before he spotted her. And his heart sunk as soon as he did. 

Creek had approached, with his Zen attitude, and offered her a drink. And Branch recalled when she told him how horrible her first kiss had been, sounding desperate, like she had failed to accomplish a goal. She had thought there was something wrong with her! Creek had kept them apart! Creek had tricked Poppy into believing he was seeing Gia!

Hot anger ran through Branch’s veins and his hands closed in fists. Branch had made peace with Creek in the past. They had even teamed up against Poppy once, so it would seem uncalled for if he just broke the guru’s nose and ruined the party, wouldn’t it? 

“I really think by realigning your chakras you can recall something - oh, Branch, hi.” Poppy’s body visibly relaxed when her boyfriend’s hand slid around her waist, bringing her protectively against him while silently watching Creek. 

“Hi… don’t you have somewhere else you have to go?” Branch asked, trying to push aside the wandering thoughts about what a good punching bag Creek would be. 

Something urgent pounded inside Poppy. A flash of a pair of lips on hers made her stomach churn.

So, that was Creek… the one who tried to keep her from her true love.

It was odd that he made her feel insecure, sad, anxious and disgusted all at once, but at the same time, it was like he had an open door from where he could slip into her life anytime he wanted. Her hand reached for the necklace she had been wearing to match her dress.

It was the only jewelry that didn’t look like candy that she found inside her drawer. 

It wasn’t hers.

“I believe…” Poppy said, untying it from her neck, surprising Branch when he realized what she was going to do. “... this is yours,” and she placed the necklace with the two quartz on Creek’s hand, stunning him beyond words. 

Branch owned her heart; it didn’t have to be open for anybody else. 

“Oh, Queen Poppy I gave it to you…”

“I’ve spent a few days reading my old journals,” Poppy started saying and Branch felt her fingers wrapping tightly around his. “And I’ve noticed all the efforts you’ve made…” Creek smiled smugly at her growling boyfriend. “... to keep me from my soulmate.” And the guru’s face fell. Her words did surprise Branch, who only stared at her in confusion. “Perhaps I trusted you too much, but reading about our days… like someone else had written those words… I can see that you clearly knew about our bond.”

Branch got angry then. Living inside the bunker, he had thought Creek was only aiming to build his place as a future king (he was manipulative like that), but he had been poisoning Poppy’s feelings all along. And the way Creek bullied him into quitting school… keeping him from any kind of social interaction that could lead him to approach the princess… Hair, he was going to punch Creek right there!

“I feel no desire to socialize with you.” Poppy said to the guru, holding Branch’s hand firmly.

It was way better than a punch. 

Creek looked devastated at her words. It was a good side effect the memory loss had caused. Poppy seemed more objective. Her decisions were rational and not only guided by her flipping happy heart. 

Poppy and Branch looked at each other as the guru walked away, stunned into silence. 

“He knew it all along," she didn’t have to explain what she meant. Creek had known Poppy and Branch were soulmates. Even in distance, their spirits called for each other. It was as clear as day for someone sensitive enough.

DJ watched the whole thing and, to indulge the atmosphere, next she started a slow song, giving Branch a wink. Poppy turned in his arms and slid her hands up to clasp them around his neck. She blinked, fluttering those long eyelashes seductively at him. Her touch immediately awakened his body, making him tingle with love. 

“You charming girl…” Branch teased, pretending they were awkward teens in a prom. “Can I have this dance?”

“Absolutely…” she said, giving him a small peck on the lips. He tried to ignore the overexcited tribe that was ‘awww’ and ‘owwww’-ing them in the background. It had been a long night, actually, - scratch that - it had been a long couple of weeks. 

Everything changed and nothing changed. Poppy was still in his arms, but under a new perspective. 

“I love you,” Branch couldn’t hold it in. It was such a big love that it gushed out from all of his pores. He lived and breathed for her. He vowed to protect her under any circumstances. 

“I love you, too,” a single tear slid down her face. It was a tear that showed how right the words sounded, but at the same time how much she missed her old life. 

“Is it how it works?” Branch asked, completely mesmerized by everything going on with them. “Is it how soulmates are?”

“I’m not sure.” Poppy giggled. “But it must be. How could my love for you have survived without memories, right?”

The party was emptying; the dance floor had only a few couples swinging tiredly, but not wanting to part. They were one of them, with their eyes fixed on each other, diving into their own world and connecting their souls. If only it wasn’t dangerous to remain there in the open all night long… 

“Is it how a prom is supposed to be?” Poppy asked quietly. 

“Ah, I suppose so,” Branch said with a tone of humor in his voice. “I’ve skipped mine. But I _do_ know...” and he dived in for another long kiss. “That you were crazy to be kissed then,” she smiled adoringly at him.

“You were there.” Poppy smiled at him and Branch blushed. “And I was so happy that you were.” Poppy snuggled close, “could you take me back home?” she asked tiredly. Her feet had started to hurt. 

It took him a moment to understand that she was talking about the bunker. A burst of joy washed over him. Branch couldn’t feel happier, he was sure he would start to glow any moment. She wasn’t talking about the Moon Island, she wasn’t talking about the royal pod. Home meant the bunker. She wanted to stay with him, to move in with him. 

“Sure,” he answered warmly, holding her hands after considering taking her in his arms, bridal style and all, but in front of everybody it felt a little dramatic on his part. He could wait until they were alone. 

The heat of their bodies contrasted with the cold night, evening out their temperature and keeping them awake. Branch couldn’t help but admire just the moment when the moon found her, reaching out for her and Poppy merely ignored it, keeping her eyes only on him. She had a slight glow of lipstick and her cheeks sparkled with joy. 

He practically flew into her once the elevator started moving down. Amusedly, she giggled against his mouth, allowing their tongues to battle a little clumsily first, until the fun slowly gave room to desire. 

**XX-XX**

The imminent battle made him feel like it was their last night together. It awfully felt like goodbye, making him remember when he gave her one last kiss inside the castle, having a similar feeling. They didn’t even make it to the bed, crushing each other against the lounge walls and tearing each other’s clothes apart. Hair, he loved when she arched her spine like that, like saying she was completely his to take.

Time passed slowly and too fast. Blinded by each other, they didn’t see the clock ticking, or the broken lamp they knocked out of a side table, or the waves of bed sheets that eventually wrapped them after coming loose from the edges of the bed as they frantically moved against each other. 

Branch had a different type of hunger then; not knowing the lengths that love making could extend to, he craved to taste her, so he left her lips and went down to explore a different kind of feast. She screamed as soon as he intimately touched her, making him feel bold and to hold his grip to keep her still. 

There was no way he could have known how insanely hot it made her, but he was sure going to do that every time, even because he loved how she returned the favor.

Memoryless Poppy was bold from the start, unlike him. Thinking back, she had always been the most forward one. Their private Hug day certainly indicated that she wasn’t afraid of unexplored territories. She screamed and writhed, unlike him who held his sounds back, blushing each time he let a moan or a groan slip. 

He lost count of how many times she climaxed. He wasn’t counting, but he surely would remember each time she shut her eyes tightly and opened her mouth to cry. It felt delicious and bone crushing at the same time.

Branch only noticed that desire turned into desperation when she clung to him, tears were spilling out of her eyes and she continued moving, holding him like they were going to fade like smoke, slipping helplessly through each other’s arms. 

**XX-XX**

***

Poppy laid awake for hours. She took turns from watching Branch sleep and staring at the ceiling. She was too anxious to grab a wink of sleep. Her thoughts turned to her mother. While she had never met her, Poppy wondered if she ever planned on escaping the Moon Island. 

If the Prime Minister managed to get her back, the pink queen knew she would die of sadness. There was no way she could spend the rest of her days away from her soulmate. 

Suddenly inspired, Poppy carefully tiptoed out of the bedroom, shutting the door so she wouldn’t disturb her lover. The book he had gotten from her suite when he rescued her (rescued, yes, it was far from kidnapping, as she originally had thought) were open on the kitchen’s table. 

Turning on the lights, she sat down and opened it. The pages were completely blank, like a brand-new diary. If her mother’s gift was for her to write down unforgettable moments, she would do so. If her memories got ripped from her once again, she’d always have the book written down by hand, so there would be no mistakes about her days with Branch. 

Looking for a pen on his table, she found a scrapbook open and quickly glanced at it, for she was very fond of those colorful and amusing ways to tell a story. Her eyes caught sight of the pages. A troll that looked a lot like Branch had a fierce expression, fighting tarantapuffs. Pushing it toward her, Poppy curiously turned the first page. She gasped loudly, when she saw a picture of her mother (the first she had ever seen), sitting down and holding an egg. 

***

Branch felt the sheets were cold by his side. He stretched one arm to hold Poppy close and bring her against him, but didn’t find her. Opening one eye to peer where she was, he found the bed empty. He nearly panicked and jolted up, throwing the blankets away and not caring about getting dressed before he dashed through the bunker after her. 

He found her with a tear stained face, puffy eyes and nearly hyperventilating, sitting inside the kitchen with the scrapbook that had started everything in front of her. He had a _Deja vu_ feeling, only this time, she seemed to care about what she was reading. 

“Hair, Poppy…” he breathed out, in defeat. 

“Branch…” she sobbed, seeing the images before her like pieces of a puzzle that was coming together. “... your dad… because of me. I’m so sorry!” She stood and ran to him, holding him tightly, with her body shaking from cold and emotion. There was nothing he could do, but hold her until she calmed down. So, he caressed her hair, kissed her temple, rubbed her back the way she loved. 

“It’s not your fault,” he muttered into her pink locks, feeling her shudder again. Her guilt wouldn’t go away so easily. 

“And my mom…” Poppy continued. “She didn’t go mad… she just couldn’t live that life anymore,” oh Hair, how much she understood her mom now. 

The light flicked and Branch looked up to his yawning fire bugs. He pulled the sheets that had been wrapped around her up to warm her exposed shoulders and placed a hand on her back to nudge her back to the bedroom.

“The bugs are tired. We better go back to bed,” he offered and just then the lights went completely out. Without protest, Poppy looked at the table one last time but didn’t bulge when he tried to tug her forward. 

Branch looked back at her and saw that her mother’s book had fluorescent letters showing from the pages. The entire book was filled with lines written on invisible ink. It wasn’t just a plain journal. Her mother had gifted her with words! 

  
  
  


***

**_My Dear Poppy_ **

**_This is probably the most difficult letter I’ll ever write, so excuse me beforehand if I make any mistakes. I wish I knew how old you are when reading this… I just hope your dad will help you in case you can’t read, yet._ **

The moonlight shone inside the bunker, brightening everything around her. Poppy stood in the middle of the light beam. Branch seemed to have faded away, like the walls and furniture. There was nothing but the light and the darkness. 

“Oh Hair… it worked,” a gentle voice said from her right and Poppy turned around to see a woman, a little older than her own age, looking at her with a glad surprise. She was sitting down, holding an egg. The woman was just like herself, wearing the same crown made of gemstones. “What’s your name, dear?”

**_Mom loves you very much and this is the main reason why I’m letting you go. I hope you understand that I’ve made this decision to save you from having a very sad life._ **

“I’m Poppy…” she answered, completely lost in confusion. “Mom?”

Her mother smiled in a way that she didn’t pull her lips, but showed how profoundly happy she was with her eyes. The empress was satisfied with her daughter’s name. 

“I love your name,” she said, raising a hand and inviting the younger troll to approach. 

“How is it possible?” Poppy’s confusion slowly melted. She was so glad to see her mom that explanations could be left for another time. 

“Oh, my love… I got a wish granted,” Lily giggled discreetly, looking up to the moon with a knowing look. Poppy raised her hand too, tentatively touching her mother’s and feeling it as real as any living troll. “Are you happy?” Lilly asked, gently pulling Poppy’s hand so her daughter would lean forward into a hug. 

**_My days were filled with songs I sang for others, with heartfelt words that would never be sung back to me. I was raised to be quiet and obedient. I had the impression I was important, that everyone cared, but your dad cracked that fairytale façade that was created around me._ **

“I am,” Poppy replied, tightening her arms around her mother. It was warm and safe. It was what a mother’s hug was supposed to feel like. 

“And your ‘ _gift_ ’? Do you like him?” Lily giggled; it was a kind of laugh that sounded like Poppy’s, but more discreet, with her hand covering her mouth. 

“ _Him_?” Poppy was confused; she had thought the gift was the book… or even this meeting! Kneeling in front of her mom, Poppy melted when her mother’s fingers gently brushed the bangs out of her eyes. Lily was studying every inch of her daughter in amusement.

“Yes, I gave you a soulmate,” the older troll winked at Poppy, playfully, which made the young empress gasp in realization. 

“A soul-?” Poppy stood up abruptly, looking around, still seeing that she wasn’t in the bunker anymore. “I didn’t know!”

“I hope he’s handsome.” Lily giggled. “I want your days to be filled with parties and happiness and friends.”

“Oh, hair… mom…” Poppy flung into her mother’s arms, crying desperately. She was so glad, so blessed and at the same time so empty. “Branch is perfect… thank you. Thank you so much.”

Lily’s eyes softened when hearing the sad hidden tone in her daughter’s sobs. Taking her time, she ran her fingers in her perfectly pink locks, admiring how they were the exact copy of hers. Her pink skin also looked alike, maybe a tone darker, since Lily had never left the castle for a tan. 

“You’re not happy now,” her mother said, and Poppy stood up, wiping her tears in shame. 

“Something happened, mom...” And like she had talked to her deceased mother all her life, Poppy spilled her heart out, telling her about the lack of memories, about the Prime Minister that was coming and her fears that the world might come to a music drought if she stopped inspiring them. 

“I’m sorry, love,” Lily looked at her terrified daughter; “I’ve been taking care of you,” to prove her point, a small bubble appeared in front of them, with a version of Poppy, wearing her pop crown in deep sleep. “I’m afraid I may have caused that memory problem.” Her words made her daughter look at her with glistening eyes. “You belong there like we all did...” Lily pointed her finger up, showing Poppy the bright full moon that witnessed their meeting “... but you also belong here.”

**_My baby girl, I need to stop this dynasty and for that I need you to run and hide. I pray you’ll be free to live your life to the fullest. You are a half Moon blood and I hope it will be enough to keep you safe._ **

“So, you’re saying I have two lives? One belongs to the moon and the other with the trolls?” Poppy’s head suddenly burst with pain. Holding a hand to her forehead, she fought to keep her eyes open. 

“I’m saying you have a choice. You can choose where you want to be.” 

“Hair, mom, no I don’t,” Poppy protested, gripping her hair as the pain intensified. “I can’t stop spreading inspiration. The kingdom could collapse.”

“Don’t believe the Prime Minister, darling,” Lily felt her voice raising, understanding that her daughter had fallen for the same trick she and all her ancestors did. “We’re not special. It’s a curse that started hundreds of years ago. Trolls will be inspired anyway.”

Poppy stared blankly at her mother, then her eyes went to her ring, seeing the moonstone that had been the only witness to all the lies. 

“The vow is passed on through generations. We keep The Prince alive while we grow old and die one by one.” 

“Wait, so the Prince is still alive?” Poppy looked confused. She recalled the story, the fairy tale that had originated it all. Somebody had told her that story…

“While there’s one to take the vow, he won’t die,” Lily, grabbed her cheeks, caressing them with her thumbs. “He gets old, like all of us. But I’m afraid he found a way to keep his youth, as well.”

**_If they ever find you, remember: trust your heart more than you trust your head. A woman’s heart is never wrong, even if her mind objects to it._ **

Poppy realized it was the most obvious conclusion. If she ceased to exist, then there wouldn’t be another to take the vow, but since Lily had her, the cycle couldn’t be broken.

The only way to stop it was to not have any more heirs.

**_Please forgive me, there’s nothing I’d wish more than having a chance to raise you._ **

**_Love,_ **

**_Mom_ **

***

Barb quietly followed Riff, both walking quietly with their hands tied on their backs while having sharp swords and eyes pointed at them. She looked for the eighth chance of escaping, but giving up like all others before. The Prime Minister was fully dressed for battle, on top of a fast critter, it was impossible for all three of them to run away and escape unscratched. 

Barb couldn’t believe how many white guards there were. They formed several lines and marched in unison, in perfect coordination, towards Pop Village. They had started their walk a day and a half before and they didn’t stop to eat or drink; it was like they lived out of commands, like zombies… - she gulped when she got the slip of what she could have turned the world into with her powerchord. 

The cuckoo Minister transformed trolls into guards. Barb was wrong about the ‘witchcraft’ after all. It took her a while to put the pieces together. The guard that looked like her uncle had played a big part and so did the books with the identical handwriting. The guards had been the Empress's suitors that tried to conquer their hearts through the centuries. Once they lost the challenge, they became soulless as punishment. And the Prime Minister must have been the one behind it all. 

“It’s always the butler, isn’t it?” Riff said in a low voice, looking miserable about all the walking they had done. 

“We have to tell Poppy. If he is successful in trading us, she shouldt know what she’d be walking back to.” Barb cracked her back, trying to avoid thinking about her rockers that had stayed behind.

Would they turn into white guards as well?

***

Poppy woke up feeling terrible. Her eyes were red and puffy, like she hadn’t slept at all. Her cheeks felt dry and her hair was sticky with sweat. 

Was it all a dream? It felt so real...

She felt Branch’s hand on her waist, caressing the curve from her breast to her hip, gently waking her up. Her first reaction was to hide her face in her pillow. She couldn’t let him see her looking so ugly first thing in the morning. 

“You’re beautiful,” he whispered into her ear, surprising her that he could easily read what she was feeling now. 

“Good morning,” she turned around, pillowing her head on his chest and enjoying a few minutes of quietness. 

“Morning, love,” he kissed her, while still slowly stroking her hair. Neither wanted to move. The only real comfort they could get was from each other. 

Branch had gone from many possibilities while they laid there in silence. He was going to stand alone on the edge of the forest, prepared for the invaders. Poppy would be locked inside the bunker and he’d spread rumors that she was hiding in the forest. In case things went wrong, the Prime Minister would never know her real location.

His traps were set everywhere. From trees to rocks, there wasn’t a single place that a white guard could hide. There was only one thing left to do and he braced himself to fight Poppy about it. 

Quietly standing up, feeling his sore muscles protesting, he picked up his black pants and shirt. Poppy propped herself up on her eyebrows, watching him curiously as he got his armor. He put on the chest part that Riff had wielded, the shoulders, arms and knees. Then he plugged the belt with the sword and zipped up the combat boots. 

“Branch…?” he heard a hint of panic in her voice, as expected. 

“You know he’s coming,” he said simply, buttoning his sleeves on his wrists, so they would be tight. “It ends today, then you’ll be free, like your mom wanted you to be.”

“Fine, I’ll get ready.” Poppy stood up, giving him a hard time to concentrate on his mission when she walked around in her birth suit like it was the most usual thing. 

“Actually,” Branch felt the ticking on the back of her head, like gears turning and getting ready to take the blow. “You’ll stay here. Hidden.”

Poppy half laughed, incredulously. 

“I’m not allowing you to go alone. He’ll destroy the whole Village if he doesn’t see me.”

“It’s not up for discussion,” even when they had been through several adventures together, when he was always the voice of reason when her positivity got them in danger, he had never felt so unstoppable. His back was straight, his muscles tense, he stood like he was built in concrete, like the pillar that would sustain their victory. She might be his Queen - his Empress - but his job was to protect her, even if she was the one putting herself in danger. 

He turned around, coldly, marching steadily to the elevator, watching from the corner of his eyes as she rushed to slip the first dress she found (the usual blue one) to follow him. 

“Don’t make decisions for me!” she half yelled, feeling desperate that there was no way she could fight him out of his mind. 

“It’s not a decision,” his iron stare met her frightened eyes, just before he pulled the lever and the elevator started ascending. “It’s a command.” 

“Don’t leave me, Branch!” Poppy was desperate. She knew she was the only one who could put an end on everything and Branch was on a suicide mission if he didn’t let her go with him. Her mother had shown her the only way they could win and it was in her hands. 

Looking at the side, she saw his fire escape and started climbing so fast she almost reached the elevator. She could say he was surprised at her efforts, but both knew how useless they were. “Don’t you dare leave me!”

Her yell echoed through the bunker, followed by the sudden and strong noise of steel doors being closed with several locks. She hit her fists on the trapdoor, desperate to go outside and help him. Her punches got weaker as her knuckles started to bleed, and her sobs got stronger, making her whole body shake as she wailed in desperation. 

***

“It might rain,” Biggie said as soon as Branch stepped out of the bunker. The teal troll just nodded. “I’ll watch her.”

“Don’t open this door unless her life is in danger,” he said, making Biggie look apprehensive. 

“You were right, you know,” Biggie said and Branch turned and waited for him to continue. “Aspen just spotted them. Barb is a prisoner.”

“It’s a predictable move,” a few wrinkles appeared on his brow. “That Prime Minister is a good chess player, but not a brilliant one.”

Smidge was waiting for Branch on the edge of the forest and wolf-whistled playfully when she saw his tight pants, “Poppy is having a good time, after all,” the survivalist would have replied if he wasn’t so tense. The cloudy sky made the day turn into night. It was dark and humid, not a good environment for having clear visibility at the battlefield. 

The leaves rustled, the bushes were pulled aside and, just like ghosts, white guards emerged, one by one, slightly glowing, swords in hands and ready to attack. They were closer than Branch had predicted they would be. 

Oddly quiet, only the sound of his and Smidge's breathing broke the silence. Branch didn’t expect hundreds of guards to appear. He thought about a dozen would stand for the infiltration, but he wasn't afraid.

Most of them were right where they were supposed to be. 

A slow galloping broke the silence, making all eyes turn to the middle of the forest.

A figure emerged from the back, quietly riding among the guards, coming forward until it completely stepped up front. The Prime Minister snickered when he saw Branch standing there, looking fierce and threatening. He pulled the chains and Barb, Riff and a white-haired rocker were pulled forward, revealing themselves to the warrior's stunned eyes. 

"I expected a welcome party," the Prime Minister said, obviously surprised with the lack of soldiers to defend the village. 

"Poppy once said I'm a one-man army. I intend to live up to her expectations," his left hand went straight to the scabbard, lifting the handle of his father’s sword with a thumb. 

"Speaking of her Grace, where is she? I've brought a friendly offer," that sickening side grin made Branch furious. "Three…" he tugged the chains, making Riff fall forward. "For the price of one."

"This guy is a thousand years old, Branch!" Riff started yelling, making the Prime Minister’s attention turn to him in surprise." he controls the kingdoms by using the Empress!" his chain was pulled with a yank, tightening around his neck, causing him to choke.

"Now I know who will be beheaded first," the Prime Minister hissed, just then, Barb stepped in. 

"The guards are the suitors! Generations of them!"

Branch was surprised. He didn’t expect to have a revelation like that. He just assumed the Prime Minister was worried about the realm, about the dynasty itself and his power. What kind of power thirst would someone have to keep ordering people who didn't need any assistance? 

Unless… The Prime Minister was used to have the power. To control. To command and to be obeyed. 

"You are the heartless Prince, aren’t you?"

  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm feeling so much better! Thank you for everyone who tried to help! I hope you liked this chapter. I know it's not a big surprise for some of you (damn, I'm so happy when you guys figure my plot out before I reveal everything!) but at least I could close a few circles. 
> 
> See you next chapter :)


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